Haruno Fields
by HeartsandSpadesXX13
Summary: Non-massacre ItachiXSakura.  Itachi and Sakura become closer after a mission.  When Itachi startes to delve into her past, will she let him in?  Lots of oc characters, mild NarutoXHinata, and other parings.
1. Chapter 1

Non-massacre- Itachi and Sakura meet and fall in love. But what happens when Sakura is forced to leave Konoha?

Chapter 1-

"Knock, knock," came a noise on Sakura's door.

Sakura ran to open it, still in her bathrobe, her hair wet. Ino was standing on the other side, with two huge bags in her arms. Her smile was wide. "Come in," Sakura said, holding the door out for Ino.

Ino walked in and appraised the tiny apartment. Sakura had a small living room attached to a tiny kitchen. The kitchen had a table big enough for two people pressed against the wall. The tablecloth covering the table was a dark blue with a small vase on it. Inside the vase were a few wilted flowers Ino recognized from her flower store. The stove, fridge, sink, and dishwasher took up almost all of the other space in the kitchen. On the fridge were a few hand-drawn pictures, which looked like the artists were small children.

Over the table was one big painting of a beautiful grove of Sakura trees leading up to a small village. The artist also added a gigantic white house sitting on a hill in the background. Ino always loved that painting, and was a little jealous of it.

"So what did you bring?" Sakura asked as she took a cup of microwaveable ramen out of the microwave on the counter.

"I brought a dryer, straighener, spray, accessories, my makeup takes up one bag by itself," Ino said, plopping the bags down on the table.

"I'm so nervous," Sakura said.

"Okay, so what do you think of this kimono?" Ino asked, taking out a dark purple kimono with a moon and trees on the bottom. It looked like a perfect night scene over a forest.

"Oh Ino, it's beautiful!" Sakura said her voice full of awe. "Where do you get all of these beautiful kimonos?"

"I always pick up one in every country I go to on a mission. It's not too hard, but I always find some beautiful ones," she said.

"So what are you going to do with your hair?" Sakura asked.

"I think a bun will be good, but nothing too big, otherwise it will be too much with this kimono and all," Ino said, walking in the direction of Sakura's bathroom.

"You are a genius Ino. I'm thinking about just leaving my hair down," Sakura said.

"Make sure to use hairspray so it will stay in place," Ino warned. Sakura almost never did her hair up, and had very little experience with these things.

"Maybe we'll see Sasuke there," Ino said mischievously as she fiddled with her hair in front of the mirror.

Sakura looked in the mirror behind Ino as she started to put on her makeup. "You're so lucky your Aunt lets you live all by yourself," Ino said.

"She knows that I can handle myself," Sakura said confidently. "Ever since I became the clan head, my Aunt has been very lenient. She wants me to have my own life."

"Wow, that's so nice! Emi-san is so nice!" Ino said. "SO how is your training going?"

"Yeah," Sakura said. "Great, actually. Tsunade thinks that I'll be able to take over all of her hospital duties by the end of the month."

"Wow Sakura, you learn fast," Ino said in awe. "I wish I had a sensei like Hokage-sama."

"So Ino, are you meeting anyone at the festival tonight?" Sakura asked slyly.

Ino sighed. "No, but Shikamaru, Chouji, and I are meeting up later tonight. How about you?" she asked.

"Naruto and Sasuke might meet me later," Sakura said.

"I can't believe you have Sasuke on your team. How can you concentrate, he's so dreamy…" Ino said wistfully as she put her hair up in a bun.

Sakura grabbed a hairclip from Ino's bag of hair accessories. "Sasuke is an asshole. He is a stuck-up, overbearing jerk, and there is no way I'll ever like him again," Sakura said. Over the years, her crush on Sasuke had waned, until finally it was gone. Sakura hated how Sasuke was always such a jerk to her and Naruto. She promised herself that she would never fall for a heartless jerk again.

"Enough talk, let's go!"Ino said happily as she grabbed her kimono and ran to Sakura's bedroom. Sakura sighed and followed her friend.

/

"Brother, are you going to the festival?" Sasuke asked Itachi as he walked through their kitchen.

"Oh Sasuke, you look wonderful!" Mikoto Uchiha said happily. Sasuke was wearing a blue kimono top with white flames spiraling up the sleeves. The sash around his waist holding the top closed was a dark red and his well-toned chest showed beneath the kimono. His pants were standard shinobi pants with sandals.

"Itachi, you should go to the festival too," Mikoto said.

"Mother, I hardly think a simple festival would be fun," Itachi said in his usual monotone.

"Ridiculous," Fugaku Uchiha said, as he folded up his paper. He and Itachi sat at the table together while Mikoto was busy cooking something on the stove. "Go Itachi. The Uchiha clan needs to at least put forth a semblance of respect for the traditions of the Village," he said. "It would be good for the Council to see the Uchiha Heir out at the festival."

"Yes father," Itachi said, his voice showing no emotion. Mikoto sighed and returned to the stove. "Are you meeting Naruto?" she asked Sasuke.

"Yeah," Sasuke answered.

"Sasuke, you should invite your teammates over to dinner soon," Mikoto said.

"But they are annoying," Sasuke said.

"Maybe, but they are your teammates, and you need to work together with them. It's easier to work with friends than enemies," she said.

"Sasuke, do as your mother says," came the sharp reply from the Uchiha clan head.

"Yes father," Sasuke said his voice monotone like his brother's.

"Good," Fugaku replied sharply.

Mikoto sighed; she hated it when her sons and husband argued. She knew Fugaku was not perfect, however she wished for a better life for her sons. She wanted them to fall in love, and not be married according to Fugaku's choice. It seemed like Itachi was following her husband's path, and was even icier than his father. Sasuke still had some hope left, and Mikoto wished her son would talk to her. She at least wanted to see Naruto around her house. He was the son of her best friend, and Mikoto wished to have a small sliver of Kushiuna Uzumaki again.

"Now get dressed you two," Mikoto commanded.

"Hai," Itachi said emotionlessly.

/

Sakura walked around the festival with Ino, both of them linking arms. They were laughing and chattering away just like when they were kids. Sakura's kimono was a beautiful light blue with a cherry blossom tree on the shoulders. The leaves from the tree slowly cascaded down the kimono and the obi was a dark magenta. Her hair was pulled up into a bun, held together with two red chopsticks.

AS they passed a stall, the two heard a few whistles and catcalls directed at them. "Hey there pretty lady," one of the men said as he came over to them. He put his hands on his hips as he surveyed the two women. "Why don't you let me show you a good time?"

"Sorry, not interested," Sakura said as she pulled Ino away.

The man called after them, but Sakura kept them moving until they came to Ichiraku Ramen tent. Mr. Ichiraku had set up a tent for the festival to sell his famous ramen. Sakura looked inside and saw Naruto happily gorging himself on ramen.

"Hey Naruto," Sakura said as she walked over to him.

Naruto looked up from his bowl and almost choked. "Sakura!" he said, looking her up and down. "Man, wow…. You look….. Amazing," Naruto said finally.

Sakura giggled. "Thanks," she said. "Hey Mr. Ichiraku, can I have one bowl of veggie please?" she asked as she sat down next to Naruto.

"Sure Sakura-san," Mr. Ichiraku said. He quickly served up a bowl and set it in front of Sakura. Sakura took the chopsticks in front of her and easily broke them apart.

"Ikadakimas," she said as she dug into her dinner. "SO, Naruto," she said after a few slurps of her noodles. "When is Sasuke supposed to meet us?"

"Any time now," Naruto answered. "He told me he would meet here."

"Hey dobe," a voice came from behind him. The two turned to see their stoic companion sit down next to Naruto.

"Nice of you to make it," sakura said.

"Hn," was all she got form him. Sakura noticed someone else had come in with Sasuke. The man looked exactly like Sasuke, just a bit older and taller. His dark eyes surveyed the all. "This is my brother Itachi," Sasuke said."

"Nice to meet you," Sakura said.

"Same," was the curt reply.

"Hey Naruto, I know we were suppose to hang out all night, but I have to skip out early, my clan in celebrating together," Sakura said.

"Awww, no fair!" Naruto whined.

"Sorry," Sakura said sheepishly. She looked over at Itachi still standing there. "Would you like to sit down Itachi-san?" she asked, motioning to the chair next to her.

Itachi nodded as he pulled out the chair next to her. "What is the name of your clan?" he asked her.

"Oh, it's the Haruno clan," Sakura said. "We are really small though, only a few members live in Konoha," Sakura explained.

"Hn," Itachi said. Sakura sighed, and promptly turned to face Ino, who was still standing.

"SO pig, when are Shikamaru and Chouji meeting up here?" Sakura asked.

"They should be here any minute. So, Sakura, _**Haru**_ won't be at this clan celebration, will he?" Ino said slyly. Naruto and Sasuke turned at the mention of another man's name.

"Of course he will be there Ino," Sakura said.

"PLEASE LET ME COME!" Ino begged her friend.

"Ino, its clan members only," Sakura sighed.

"Oh come on, Haru is only the best guy in Konoha!" Ino whined.

"What?" Sasuke asked sharply.

"He is just sooo cute!" Ino said happily. "Don't worry Sasuke, you are first in my heart, but Haru definitely comes in at a close second," Ino said dreamily.

Naruto started laughing. "What Sasuke, you jealous another guy is getting all the attention?" he said laughing.

"Shut up dobe," Sasuke snapped.

"WE should go out and find Haru, right Sakura?" Ino said hopefully.

"Ino, please, you have to get over this thing you have for my cousin," Sakura sighed.

"No! Haru is so cute, and he is nice!" Ino said.

"Not Haru again. First Sasuke, now Haru," came a lazy voice from behind the group. Ino spun around to see her teammates plus one other person. Temari was hanging on to Shikamaru's arm.

"Hey guys!" Ino said happily. "Nice to see you Temari," Ino said, giving the older girl a hug.

Temari returned the hug. After dating Shikamaru for a while, she had struck up a good friendship with Ino. "Hey, how are you?" Temari asked her.

"I'm fine, I am just trying to convince Sakura to ring her yummy older cousin to hang out," Ino said.

"Ino, for the final time, Haru is not that good looking," Sakura said.

"Says you," Ino snapped.

"Is he a ninja?" Itachi asked.

"No, Haru is not a Konoha ninja," Sakura said after a pause. "SO Uchiha-san, what level ninja are you?" Sakura asked innocently.

"I am an ANBU captain," Itachi answered.

"Hey, if you guys are done eating, why not come play a few games?" Chouji suggested.

"Yeah, let's go!" Naruto said after he finished off his sixth bowl of ramen.

"Fine," Sasuke huffed.

Sakura and Itachi stood at the same time. Sakura smiled at the stoic Uchiha as she led the way out of the ramen stand.

The people of Konoha had crowded around the streets. Music filled the streets as children ran around to the different game stalls. The rookie nine plus Itachi made their way down the crowded streets with apparent ease.

Itachi walked next to Sakura, who was slightly behind the group. He kept sneaking stray glances at her as they walked. She was a pretty kunoichi in her own right. Sasuke never mentioned his teammates, except in scorn, however Itachi could fail to see why Sasuke always degraded this girl. Her hair was an odd shade of pink, something he had never seen before. She looked over at him, breaking him out of his daze. Her deep green eyes flashed him a smile.

"Are you enjoying the festival Uchiha-san?" she asked him.

"Yes," he said plainly. He was not a man of many words, but he was sure this girl knew that after dealing with his stupid brother.

"Hey Sakura!" a large man waved to her form a tent full of shogi boards. He was currently playing at one.

Sakura waved back. "Hey Uncle Jiro!" she called happily.

"Is your clan a large one?" Itachi asked curiously. He mentally searched for a mention of the Haruno clan, and discovered nothing. They must not be a large or important clan, he finally decided.

"The clan is rather large, however most of the members of my clan live outside of Konoha," Sakura said. "Only a few have moved here within the last few years."

"I see…" Itachi said.

"Is the Uchiha clan large?" Sakura asked.

"Has Sasuke told you much about us?" Itachi countered.

"No, Sasuke…. He doesn't like to associate with us outside of training," Sakura said as a dark look passed over her face.

"Yes, the Uchiha clan is rather large," Itachi said. "Do you not like Sasuke?" he asked.

"I use to have a crush on him," she said. "However, I came to realize he is not the great man I thought he was. I am older and stronger, but I guess I will always be that weak little girl to him."

"My brother is an idiot to not realize what is right in front of him," Itachi said softly, surprising even himself. Sakura turned and gave him a strange look, but she did not act like she had heard his statement.

"Hey Sakura!" a young man called to her. Itachi looked around to see a young man about his age. He had a small smile on his face. The man was wearing a green yukta like Sasuke's that was open to reveal his chest. A grey coat was over his shoulders that came down to just above his knees. His dark grey pants were short and revealed the sandals on his feet. His brown hair was messy and some pieces fell over his eyes. Itachi instantly noticed his eyes were a dark green, only a few shades darker than Sakura's.

"Haru!" Sakura said happily, giving the man a hug.

"HARU!" came the loud voice of Ino as she ran over to them.

"Hi Ino," Haru said calmly as Ino hugged him tightly. "It's good to see you again."

"Oh Haru," Ino crooned.

"Sakura ni-chan!" came a loud voice from behind Haru. A small girl ran around Haru to hug Sakura.

"Midori-chan, you act like we haven't seen each other in ages," Sakura said. The little girl had on a small blue kimono with a complete obi. Her curly long, blonde hair was in pigtails on either side of her head. Her eyes were a dark green.

"Aww, who is this?" Ino asked innocently, her arms still entwined with one of Haru's.

Midori's eyes darkened. "Stay away from my brother you slut!" she yelled, making everyone turn their heads to see what was going on. All of Ino's teammates stared in shock at the young girl.

"Midori, where are your manners?" Haru snapped at her. "Ino-san in a friend of Sakura's," he explained.

"Oh," Midori said quietly. "My apologies Ino-sama," she said with a small bow and a glare.

"I'm sorry about my younger sister Ino, she gets exited very easily," Haru said.

"Oh, it's okay," Ino said with a flirtatious wink. Itachi noticed Ino was getting many glares from the females that were passing by them.

"Oh Haru, this is Chouji and Shikamaru, they are my teammates," Ino said introducing her teammates.

"Hey dude!" Naruto said, slapping him on the back.

"Hey Naruto, how are you?" Haru asked.

"How do you know each other?" Ino practically shrieked.

"I use to go over Sakura's house for dinner a lot," Naruto explained. "Emi-san was really nice and invited me all the time," he said.

"Oh, and this is Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha," Sakura said as she introduced the Uchiha brothers. Sasuke simply glared as Haru smiled at him.

"It's nice to meet you," he said, while holding out his hand for Itachi to shake.

"Same," Itachi said as he shook Haru's hand.

"How come I never met him?" Sasuke asked snootily.

"Because you never come over Sakura's house when she invites you teme," Naruto snapped. "Emi-san cooks the best food you ever ate!"

"Emi-san?" Sasuke asked.

"Yean, Sakura's Aunt," Ino said.

"Ino san use to come over a lot when we were younger," Haru said.

"So when is the clan meeting?" Sakura asked.

"It's not for another hour," Haru said. "So enjoy the festival, okay?"

"No problem," Sakura said.

"Hey Haru, want to go get some food?" Ino asked.

"But you just ate!" Naruto said.

"Shut up Naruto!" Ino hissed at him.

"Sure," Haru said with a smile, not noticing Ino's hiss. Itachi started to think he was just blissfully ignorant.

"Uchiha-san, do you want to go get dessert?" Sakura asked.

"Hn," Itachi said.

"I take it that means yes?" Sakura said with a smile.

"Hn," Itachi said.

"Okay then," Sakura said, grabbing his arm. She pulled him away from the group and through the crowd. Itachi was suddenly glad to be rid of the rest of them. They were loud and annoying. Sasuke did not make the situation any better, since everyone assumed that they were alike.

Sakura stopped by a stand in the street. Itachi looked around and noticed that they were separated from the rest of the group completely.

"Two orders of dango please," Sakura said to the man at the stand. "And two teas."

"Okay young lady," the man said as he prepared their food. Itachi noticed Sakura digging around in her obi and finally withdrawing a coin purse.

"I got it," Itachi said, plopping the money down on the table from his pocket.

"It's okay Uchiha-san, I can pay for myself," Sakura insisted.

"Here you go," the man said, handing Itachi the two orders. "One for you mister and one for your girlfriend."

"But I'm not…" Sakura began as Itachi walked away with the food in hand. "Never mind, thanks!" she said to the man as she ran to catch up with Itachi. He was sitting under a tent full of tables at one empty one. Sakura quickly sat down across from him.

"Thank you," she said as Itachi handed her a tea and her dango. Sakura popped a dango into her mouth. "Mmmnnn, I love sweets, how about you Uchiha-san?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, sipping his tea.

Sakura smiled. They ate the rest of the time in a comfortable silence. "So Uchiha-san, are you going on a mission anytime soon?" she asked.

"Not that I know of," Itachi said as he took a sip of his tea. "So when is this clan meeting of yours?"

"It is at 10 PM, by the way, what time is it?" Sakura asked.

"It is 9:55," Itachi answered.

"OH SHIT!" Sakura cursed. "I'm sorry for ditching you Uchiha-san, but I have to go. See you soon!" Sakura said.

Itachi looked down to see that she had slipped some money on the table. It was enough to pay for her dango and tea. Itachi smirked as he pocketed the money she had slipped him. Odd, he didn't even notice this. Itachi sighed, however his thoughts were with the pink-haired kunoichi that had just run off.

/

Sakura walked to the Hokage's tower a few days later. She had gotten called to go on a mission. She wore her usual skirt and red top with her clan's insignia on the back. Sakura flexed her shoulders as she walked; grateful for a reprise form her boring hospital duties. Naruto and Sasuke had pretty much forgotten she was there; they never stopped by or asked her to train with them. She sighed, knowing that to them she would always be the weak link. Always the one to protect.

She entered the Hokage Tower and went straight to Tsunade's office. She knocked on the door and was rewarded with a groan.

She opened the door and saw her shishou slumped on her desk with her head in her hands. Sakura sighed and walked over to her. "Again shishou?" she said.

"Just make it go away," Tsunade groaned.

Sakura sighed and placed her hands at Tsunade's temples. Within seconds Tsunade breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks Sakura," she said.

"No problem," Sakura said, use to her sensei's hangovers. Sakura turned to see a group of people also standing in the office. Among them were Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, Kiba, and Shino. Itachi stood behind them all, his ANBU uniform on except for the mask.

"You are all to go on an A-rank mission. You need to retrieve a scroll of battle plans from the Stone," Tsunade began. "We believe the Stone might be planning an attack on Konoha and we want to be ready. Itachi will be in charge, since he is the highest rank. That is all." She said as she tossed Itachi a scroll.

"Meet at the gate in one hour," Itachi said as he left the office.

/

Sakura hummed a song as she arrived at the gate a half hour early. Itachi was already there, leaning casually against the gate. "Morning Uchiha-san," she said.

"Hn," was her answer, which Sakura took to mean 'good morning' in Uchiha language.

They stood in silence as Neji showed up. He gave Itachi a curt nod and headed over to Sakura. "Sakura-san, how are you?" he asked.

Sakura smiled. "I am good, thanks for asking. How are you?"

"Fine," was the curt reply? "Maybe when we come back you will give me that date I have been asking for," he said slyly.

"As nice as that sounds, I have to pass," Sakura said.

"Why?" Neji asked.

Sakura sighed. "Neji, you and I both know it would have never worked out between us," Sakura said. "Let's focus on the mission and we can worry about dates later," Sakura said.

"Fine with me," Neji said. "But don't forget about it when we get back."

"Sure Neji," Sakura said.

Itachi heard their whole conversation from a distance. When Neji mentioned a date, Itachi felt his chest squeeze. An unfamiliar feeling filled it, a feeling of prickling rage. It confused him, and soon left as quickly as it came.

Kiba and Sasuke showed up soon after. The hour was almost over.

"Hey Sakura!" Itachi heard a voice call out. He noticed Haru and his younger sister.

"Hey guys," Sakura said as she ran over to give them a hug.

"Sakura-san, please don't go!" Midori was crying.

"Midori-chan, I'll be back soon," Sakura said with a smile.

"NO!" Midori said as she stomped her foot. "NO, you can't go!"

"It's okay, I will be back in a few days," Sakura assured her.

Midori was crying, tears rushing down her face. "No, Sakura-san, you won't be back in a few days," Midori said.

"Hey kid, its okay, Sakura san is a great ninja…." Kiba began.

"No, Sakura-san, please don't go! You'll never be the same after…" Midori said, breaking off her comment.

"Midori, this is silly," Sakura said quickly. She and Haru glanced at each other and a look of understanding passed between them.

"Midori, Sakura is a ninja. She must take missions for her village," Haru argued.

"Okay…" Midori sniffled.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, the girl was being insufferable. "Can't we go now, Naruto just got here," he said to Itachi.

"Let Sakura say goodbye to her family," Itachi said.

"Since when did you care?" Sasuke asked.

"Hn," was the answer.

Sakura hugged her younger cousin. "I will be okay," she said.

Haru gave her another big hug. "Remember," he whispered, "If you need help, you know how to contact us. Keep us updated."

"I will," Sakura whispered back. Itachi caught on to their conversation by reading their lips. He felt a small tug on his arm. He looked down to see Midori next to him.

"Uchiha-sama, please keep Sakura-san safe," Midori said.

"Hn," was her answer.

"Here, this is for you," Midori said, holding out a small bag of medical herbs.

"We don't need these," Sasuke said. "Sakura is our medic."

"This doesn't concern you, you will make it back to Konoha in one piece," Midori snapped at him. She turned back to Itachi, her eyes suddenly a clear, even blue, her pupils gone. "Sakura-san is a good person. She will give up her life to save her friends. Do not let her sacrifice that life for you. Otherwise, you will lose your only chance at happiness." She said in a monotone voice, her body seemingly in a trance.

"What," Itachi and Sasuke said together.

"Midori, time to go!" Haru called. Midori's eyes suddenly returned to their usual dark green.

"Bye!" she said as she skipped over to give Sakura a hug.

"Time to go," Sasuke called, breaking up Sakura's goodbye.

"Be good you two!" Sakura said as she let go of Midori.

"Don't worry about us! Just stay safe!" Haru called to them as the group left the village. He and Midori waved until Sakura was out of sight.

"Now it begins," Midori said softly.

"Now what begins?" Haru asked.

"Oh! Nothing…" Midori said innocently


	2. Chapter 2

Non massacre ItaSaku. Enjoy!

Chapter 2-

They did not stop to set up camp that first night. Itachi kept them moving throughout the next day, only stopping for a few minutes here and there for breaks. However, none of them showed any type of exhaustion, thankfully. Sakura noticed that Itachi was a good leader. He was calm and collected, never barking out orders like Sasuke or Neji. He was also unfazed by Kiba and Naruto's antics.

"We will rest here for the night," Itachi said, stopping in a clearing in the woods.

Sakura jumped down from the tree she was on and sat at its base. She quickly took a swig of her water bottle before relaxing against the tree.

The others were sitting around her. Sasuke leaned up against a tree, brooding. Itachi was across from Sasuke, his hands in his pockets.

Naruto jumped down next to Sakura. "So, Sakura, what'cha got to eat?" he asked.

Sakura smiled. "Ichiraku-san gave me some ramen, want some?" she asked.

"No fair! Why do you always get free ramen?" Naruto asked as Sakura dug around in her pack.

"Ichiraku-san is a family friend," Sakura replied as she fished out the container of ramen. She also dug out two sets of chopsticks and handed the orange ones to Naruto.

"You keep a set of chopsticks for Naruto too?" Kiba asked.

"Well, he is always eating my food," Sakura said. Kiba snickered and Neji grinned.

"Hey! I can't help it that you always have the best food," Naruto said as he dug into Sakura's ramen.

"Watch out Sakura, or he'll eat it all on you," Sasuke said.

"HEY!"

"Don't worry Sasuke, I packed extra just for Naruto," Sakura said.

"See? Sakura is so nice to me," Naruto said grinning as he attacked the ramen.

"So how's everything Sakura?" Kiba asked.

"It's good, Tsunade is having me work double shifts at the hospital when I'm not on missions," Sakura said.

"Don't let baa-chan get you down," Naruto said.

Sakura giggled. ""Speaking of which, how is ero-sanin's training going?" Sakura asked.

"It's good, but Jiraya keeps on ending training early to peek in on the girl's hot springs," Naruto said.

"Man, you two are lucky to be training with a sanin," Kiba said wistfully. Akamaru whined in response.

"Did Emi-san pack you any food?" Naruto asked, his ramen already finished.

"Yes, but you aren't getting any," Sakura said.

"How is Emi-san's tea shop doing?" Kiba asked.

"It's going great," Sakura said. "Emi loves it, and now she's planning to expand and open another shop."

"Wow, cool!" Naruto said.

"Yeah, I know. It'll open after the Spring festival," Sakura said.

"Spring festival?" Neji asked curiously.

"Oh, my clan celebrates each season in a holiday," Sakura said quickly.

"Hell yes!" Kiba said excitedly. "When is it this year?"

"About two months from now," Sakura said.

"Holy shit, that is going to be one wild party," Naruto said. "Last time I woke up with an octopus, a trombone, and a unicycle and I have no clue how they got there."

Kiba laughed. "You were so drunk you don't remember anything!" he said.

"You shouldn't talk, you ran around with your underwear on your head after a few drinks," Sakura pointed out.

"That's not the point," Kiba said quickly. "The point is that Haruno's know how to party."

"Why haven't I heard about this before?" Sasuke chimed in.

"You don't give a rat's ass about anyone else," Sakura retorted.

The clearing went deadly silent. "What did you say?" Sasuke spat at his teammate.

Sakura stood. "You heard me. You are a selfish spoiled brat, Sasuke," she said.

In a flash Sasuke lunged at her. Naruto and Kiba yelled at him to stop as he ran towards her, a punch aimed at her face.

Sasuke swung and hit midair. Sakura smiled as she ducked under his blow, delivering a kick to his stomach. Sasuke flew back into a tree with a crunch.

"Next time I'll put some chakra into that kick," Sakura said. "Now get that stick out of your ass, because you are pathetic. You put down others to make yourself better."

"Shut Up!" Sasuke yelled as he lunged at Sakura again. The hit never came, however. Itachi grabbed Sasuke's collar and pulled him back. Sasuke fell to the ground, his butt hitting the dirt hard. He glared up at his brother. "Itachi, what the hell!" he snarled.

"Deal with your problems after the mission is over. This goes for both of you," Itachi said with an icy glare in Sakura's direction.

"Fine with me," Sakura said, sitting back down.

"Hn," was all Sasuke said.

"Sakura and Naruto go find firewood," Itachi ordered.

"Hai," the two said.

/

"Hey Sakura, why do you hate teme so much?" Naruto asked as they were gathering fallen branches and logs.

"For a long time, I thought I loved him," Sakura said. "I put up with the insults, and I strived to become powerful enough that he would notice me. But then, I started to realize that no matter how powerful I became, I would always be the weak little girl that needs protecting," Sakura said. She tilted her head up and looked up to the sky. A breeze flew through the trees, lifting her short pink tresses to dance around her face.

"Teme is not all bad," Naruto said.

"No, he's not. He just needs to grow up," Sakura said.

"So Sakura…. What do you think of Itachi then?" Naruto asked slyly.

"Umm, well…." Sakura said, blushing. "I think he's a good leader and an ok person… "

"You like him," Naruto said with a grin.

"NO!" Sakura denied. "He's too quiet for me," Sakura said.

"Sure Sakura, whatever you say," Naruto said with a grin.

"Dobe," Sakura said as she punched him on the head, causing him to drop all his firewood.

/

The rest of the evening passed in silence. The next day they were back to travelling at a fast pace. They did not stop that night for a break, however, and kept on moving. On the morning of the fifth day travelling, they reached the Stone.

"We rest here, and continue on tomorrow. We will reach the tower where the scroll is being kept midday," Itachi said. "Kiba, Neji and I will switch watches. Neji and Kiba, keep your long range sensors on alert at all times during your watch," he commanded.

"Hai," the team said in unison.

/

Sakura awoke halfway through the night. She sat up, her senses on high alert. Sakura quickly spread her chakra through the earth, sensing for anyone nearby. When she sensed nothing, she sighed. In the distance Sakura could hear the sound of a nearby waterfall. Sakura stood and saw that the fire had died down. She did a quick inventory and noticed that everyone but Itachi was asleep.

He was sitting off to the side, away from the others. His head was looking out and his arm rested on his one knee. The other leg was stretched out on the ground. He looked up as she approached but made no other move.

"You should be asleep," he said.

"Can't," sakura said as she sat down next to him. "I'll keep you company," she said.

"I don't need it," Itachi said.

Sakura smiled. "Everyone needs it once in a while," she said.

"Can I ask you a question?" Itachi asked.

"Sure," Sakura said.

"Your cousin told me something about our mission before we met," he started.

"Let me guess, you want me to tell you if it is true or not?" Sakura asked.

"Hn," Itachi answered.

"Uchiha-san, whatever advice Midori told you, listen to it," Sakura said. "Midori has certain….. sense for these things. However, remember her predictions will only come true if you let them," Sakura advised.

"She told you not to come here," Itachi said.

"I am a Konoha shinobi. It will take more than a prediction to keep me from doing my duty to my village," Sakura said proudly.

Itachi looked over at her. "Please stop fighting with my brother," he said.

"Why?" Sakura asked. "He starts it."

"He will grow up eventually. Don't hold his idiocy against him," Itachi said

Sakura looked over at him and smiled. "Uchiha-san, you really love your brother, don't you? Sakura said.

"Hn," Itachi said as he looked away.

"Admit it, you love your brother," Sakura said. She sighed. "I wish I had siblings. I really do," she said wistfully.

"Your parents never had other kids?" Itachi asked.

"No, they didn't," Sakura said. "They wanted to, though."

"Hn." Silence… "What happened?"

"They died," Sakura said as she looked out in the distance. Itachi was silent.

"How?" he asked.

"Uchiha-san, that is something private," Sakura said icily. Instantly Itachi knew he had crossed a boundary. He couldn't help it, she interested him greatly. It was like solving a riddle, and that riddle was Sakura. There was so much he knew, but at the same time, there was so much she hid.

They remained silent. Itachi noticed she was drifting off. He soon felt her breath slowing, a sure sign she was asleep. He focused his attention back to their surroundings.

Suddenly he felt something lean on him. He turned his head to see Sakura's head leaning against her shoulder. He looked down in surprise. Normally he would shove anyone else away, but she just looked so…. Peaceful. He couldn't bring himself to disturb her, and so he adjusted his position to let her lean into the crook of his shoulder, his arm around her back. He sighed and went back to his lookout.

Neji woke up a few minutes later and walked over. "Go back to bed," Itachi commanded. He noticed Neji glare at him fiercely, but Itachi never broke eye contact. He instantly noticed jealousy rampant in Neji's eyes, as his milky orbs held Itachi's own coal ones.

"It's my turn to watch," Neji said coldly, his stare matching Itachi's.

"I'll take your shift" Itachi said.

"What exactly is your relationship to Sakura?" he asked Itachi suddenly. Itachi instantly realized the source of the Hyuga's jealousy was currently sleeping on his shoulder.

"Hn," Itachi said. The corners of his mouth turned upward into a trademark Uchiha smirk. He decided to play around with the Hyuga a bit. He put his arm around Sakura, pulling her in closer, her head now resting on his chest. He smirked, practically seeing the steam rising from the Hyuga.

"Just warning you Uchiha don't get too comfortable with her. I'll be taking Sakura from you soon," Neji said as he turned away. Finally the Hyuga went back to the rest of them. Itachi's eyes narrows as he left. For some reason, the thought of Neji with Sakura irked him greatly.

/

Sakura slowly began to wake, and felt a soft pillow beneath her. Her mind was still muddled as she buried her head deeper into the pillow.

She heard her pillow chuckle. That was definitely not right.

She sat up and noticed Itachi Uchiha was her pillow. "I'm so sorry Uchiha-san!" she stuttered as she bolted up into a standing position.

"Hn," was the answer he gave her, his face set in stone. Sakura could almost swear she heard him chuckle. But that was impossible, Uchiha's never chuckle.

Itachi stood as well, his cold onyx eyes holding hers for the briefest of moments before he looked behind her at the rest of the camp. "We move out in twenty minutes," he said to the rest of the group.

Sakura turned away from the elder Uchiha and back to the camp. The rest of her teammates were just getting up. None of them seems to notice she had fell asleep on Itachi's shoulder, except Neji, who would give an icy glare in the Uchiha's direction every few minutes. Sakura sighed, wondering if Neji would ever get over the fact that he had been dumped. She remembered he did not take that news very well. In fact, if Haru and Emi had not been thee, Sakura was sure Neji might have even gotten violent. The man definitely had a horrible temper behind that stoic façade.

Sakura gathered up her belongings before everyone else. She laughed as Naruto fought with his bedroll, before giving him a helping hand.

Soon they were all ready to go. Itachi place his ANBU mask over his face before giving them the signal to move out.

/

Sakura sat in a tree high above the Stone Fortress. She was a lookout while her teammates fanned out into the dense forests surrounding the tower. He keen eyes easily picked out Naruto and Sasuke. A little to the left she spotted Akamaru and Neji. Itachi was nowhere to be found.

She crouched down, hidden by the trees. Itachi had made it clear she was only to be support and was not to engage at all costs. Sakura smirked; the Uchiha really had no clue.

She heard a bird call in the forest. It gave two sharp, shrill whistles, the signal to move out. Sakura quickly jumped from tree to tree, chakra infused in her legs. She reached the tower in a few seconds, still hidden by the forest. She glanced around before spreading her chakra into the root system of the trees. She could feel Neji, Kiba, Naruto and Sasuke all in position. There were no Stone ninja anywhere around them. She tried to probe inside the tower, but found that the floors were made of stone, with no tree roots anywhere near the floor inside.

Soon her teammates converged on her. Naruto and Sasuke were silent, focusing on the tower.

Another shrill whistle was the signal to infiltrate. The three of them instantly ran up the walls, chakra running though their feet. Sakura barely panted as she and the others vaulted over the top of the wall.

In front of them was a huge courtyard. Sakura quickly surveyed the area, taking mental notes of all he doors and windows into the tower she saw.

"Hide," Naruto's said his voice tense. Sakura quickly hid behind a large iron fire holder next to them, Naruto and Sasuke next to her. They hardly dared to breathe as the stone ninja walked towards them.

"Nothing here," the man said to his partner as they walked up the steps.

"Just make sure. Akoji will have our heads if we are not sure," the man's partner said.

"Why are you so scared?" female voice said.

"It's okay; you're obviously a new chunin. Akoji is one of the best fighters here. He's also the vice-captain."

"I heard a rumor that he went up against a Haruno and survived."

"If anyone could do it Akoji could. But those Haruno are downright scary."

"What ever happened to them? The clan fell off the map after the last Great Ninja War."

"Well, they've been having some trouble. Apparently some Haruno's deflected to the Land of Fire."

"Yeah, it's too bad they stopped being active Stone ninja…" the first man said as they walked away.

Sakura watched until they were long gone. She waived her hand silently, the signal to move out. She Naruto and Sasuke moved fast, sticking to the shadows. Sakura's heart was racing at what Naruto and Sasuke just heard. She hoped and prayed the mission would make them forget that conversation.

The three entered the tower, through a door off to the side. They raced down the halls to the designated meeting spot inside the tower.

Sakura halted before a door. She quickly opened it and the three of them slipped inside.

"Welcome Leaf Ninjas," came a voice as the lights shot on.

Sakura instantly saw they were not in a storage room like their map said, but instead they were in an arena with high vaulted ceilings and bright lights.

In front of them stood a young man. He wore no headband or ninja attire. Instead, his kimono was a light blue, and his overcoat was black and hung off his shoulders. A sword was sitting at his wais, and his obi was holding it up. He had dark green hair that lay in disarray around his bright blue eyes. He had on a small smirk as he surveyed them, one hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto growled.

"My name is Akoji, vice commander of this tower. And who might you be?" he asked with a smile on his face.

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke got into their battle stances, ready to strike. Behind Akoji were about 50 stone ninja, ready for battle. Sakura stayed towards the back, her head bent down. Her mind screamed at her not to let Akoji recognize her, not under any circumstances.

The man in front of them simply smiled. "Well, I see you are not squealers. Good…." Akoji smiled even wider. "I love to see a good fight. Don't disappoint me now," as soon as he said that, his body disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Behind him, the stone ninja charged.

Sakura pooled chakra into her fists and slammed it down on the floor. The impact created a huge crater that covered the whole bottom floor of the arena.

Rock chunks flew everywhere. Sakura pooled chakra into her feet and dashed between the chunks, taking out stone ninja as she went.

Next to her, she saw Naruto let out a rasengan. Behind him was a hidden stone ninja.

Without thinking, Sakura dashed for her comrade. She caught the ninja's sword with her kunai, keeping him from touching Naruto.

Naruto looked back at her with a grin. "Thanks for the save Sakura," he said as he plowed forward into the stone ninja.

All too soon, a group converged on Sakura. They threw kunai, which she easily dodged.

Too late, she realized that one was behind her. As she spun around, rocks cam up from the ground around her in a large cocoon.

Sakura quickly made a few hand signs. She breathed a sigh of relief as her substitution worked, putting one of the Stone ninja inside the rock cocoon. She watched as the rocks crushed him with a sickening crunch that made her wince.

"All right, that's enough," same Akoji's voice ringing through the hall. Sakura looked up and saw him standing on a balcony far above them. Sakura gasped as she saw Neji and Kiba tied up at his feet, both with serious wounds. Her medic mind went into overdrive, assessing their slashes.

"Now," came Akoji's voice, bringing Sakura back down to her current situation. "I'll make you a deal. You Konoha ninja surrender and you might make it out alive, or…." He said as he held his katana to Kiba's throat. "These two definitely won't be alive. Your choice," he said cheerfully.

Sakura looked at her teammates. Naruto and Sasuke had already dropped their weapons to the ground. Sakura did the same. She glanced around and saw that Itachi was not among them. Sakura hoped the ANBU captain had found a way out and was coming back with reinforcements.

The stone ninja tied her arms behind her back using black handcuffs. Sakura tried to mover her chakra and instantly felt the cuffs sucking her chakra away. The stone ninja forced her to her knees, looking up at Akoji.

Akoji jumped down as Naruto and Sasuke were placed next to Sakura. He surveyed them for a second, a smirk plastered on his face. His eyes came to rest on Sakura, who was staring at the ground.

Sakura heard his footsteps as he approached. In front of her vision cam two black boots and instantly she feared the worse. A hand shot out, grabbing her chin roughly. Her neck arched back as she was forced to meet Akoji's cool gaze. She held his eyes, until she saw a spark of recognition in them. Her eyes widened, fear ripping though her brain. She struggled to mover her arms, but the stone ninja instantly restrained her.

Akoji brought a hand across her face with a resounding crack. Sakura saw stars before her eyes as she was sent sprawling to the ground.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto called out to her.

"As I thought…" Akoji murmured. Sakura looked up at him from the floor, hate filling her eyes. "Take them to Commander Nijin," he commanded to the other ninja. "I'll take care of this one boys," he said as he grabbed her arm from behind her back. He heaved her up to her feet and pushed her to walk in front of him. .

Akoji pushed her out of the room and into the hallway. "Well, isn't this shocking? I haven't seen you in years Sakura," Akoji said, walking out of hearing range of the rest of his men. "So how've you been?"

"Could be better," Sakura growled at him.

"It's not that bad. In fact, you may find yourself having an extended stay in the Tower," Akoji said. "If you are lucky," he whispered into her ear. "You might be able to bargain with the captain for the lives of your teammates."

"And what do I have to do in return?" Sakura whispered back.

"We'll see," he said with a smile. Sakura growled at him, which made him smile even more. Sakura had a sinking feeling in her stomach the longer they walked. Akoji was planning something that was for sure.

They approached the end of the hallway. Sakura saw a pair of large double doors before her, two shiny handles staring her right in the face.

Akoji easily pulled open the large doors and led them in, shoving Sakura ahead of him.

Before her was a small throne room. There was a light green carpet leading up to a large dais. Rich tapestries spun with expensive threads hung down from the walls.

Up on the dais there was a man surrounded by cushions and pillows. He was a rather fat man, wearing colorful kimono robes. His hair was a dark black and hung down in a ponytail behind his head. His tiny eyes leered at them as they entered, giving him a pig-like look.

Akoji pushed Sakura down on the floor so that she was kneeling directly in front of the dais. Next to her all of her teammates were forced to kneel as well. She never took her eyes off Akoji, preferring not to look at her teammates.

"Well well, nice work capturing these Konoha brats," the man said.

"Thank you Commander Nijin," Akoji said, walking around his prisoners to stand near the fat commander.

"So what do we have here?" the commander asked as a woman wearing a intricate kimono came out and placed a huge pan of food on a small table in front of the commander. Sakura watched as the commander greedily dug into the food before him.

"A Hyuga, and Uchiha, and two others," Akoji reported.

"And the girl?" the commander asked, leering at Sakura between gigantic mouthfuls. "She sure is a rare beauty, that's for sure."

"I was just getting to that. She is a Haruno," Akoji said.

The collective gasp was heard around the room. Muttering broke out among the stone ninja as everyone stared at Sakura. Sakura, however, kept her eyes trained on Akoji. If looks could kill, Akoji would have been dust on the floor then.

"How!" the Commanded demanded. "Haruno's have not been seen since the War!"

"May I introduce Sakura Haruno," Akoji said as he walked over to stand in front of her. "She is one of the Haruno's that fled the Stone years ago."

"Aahhh, a refugee," the commander said. "However, there is no proof she is a Haruno. Have her prove it," he commanded.

"Of course," Akoji said. He looked down at Sakura before slowly walking over to stand in front of Naruto. He held his sword to Naruto's throat before barking "Release her," to his men.

Sakura felt two men grab her and pull her up by her arms. She heard a small clinking sound and felt the chains being taken off her wrists. Before she could formulate a plan, the man behind her thrust her forward, causing her to fall to the ground in front of the commander.

"Stand," Akoji barked to her. Slowly, Sakura pulled herself up, her hands on the floor, so that she was standing in front of them. She turned to face Akoji, who had his sword at Naruto's neck.

He smiled at her. Sakura glared back. Akoji laughed before gripping Naruto's hair and pulling it back, exposing his neck to Akoji's blade. "Now Sakura-chan, won't you sing for us," he asked nicely.

Sakura stood still, not saying a single word.

"Fine," Akoji growled, the smile gone. He walked in front of Naruto. For a split second he held Naruto's eyes before reaching up with his blade.

Sakura watched in horror as Akoji sliced her best friend. "Naruto!" she screamed as blood splattered everywhere from the gaping slash in Naruto's chest.

She ran towards her teammate, but Akoji was too fast. He caught her around her stomach, holing her in place right in front of her friend. "No! please Ai-kun!" she sobbed as she watched blood drip onto the floor. "Let me heal him!" she sobbed as she struggled in Akoji's arms.

"He's only one of four. If he dies, I have the rest of them to use," Akoji said, his voice indifferent. "Now, prove to us you are a Haruno, or the next slash will be on his throat." He said as Sakura went limp in his arms. He walked away from Naruto and dropped Sakura on the floor in front of the commander.

Sakura turned her head to watch Akoji walk back to Naruto. He resumed his spot next to the blonde ninja, pulling Naruto's hair back and settling his blade next to Naruto's neck.

Sakura stood, gathering chakra around her. Chimes were heard, starting at a fast beat. Naruto watched as fire came up from the floor, swirling around Sakura's body as the guitars joined in and the music sped up.

Sakura held her arms out, the multi-colored flames not even toughing her skin. The music sped up around her ass white flashes of light danced against the walls.

Suddenly it slowed down as the flames followed the music. The first few cords were heard. As the music climaxed to the beginning bang of the drums, Sakura brought her arms forward in a sweeping motion.

She began to dance, the fire swirling around her.

_A ba…llad of dark queen echoes… through ni…ght…"_ she sang, her voice steady. Naruto watched in wonder as he heard the echoing chorus behind her voice

As he flees the curse of gods, the pharaoh`s wrath" she sang, her arms stretched outwards.

_One…. thousand one…. nights unseen….,  
>The phi….losopher and the que…..en."<em> She sang as she twirled in the flames, the flames dancing along with her to the music. The Konoha ninja watched in wonder as her feet gently stomped the floor as she danced in the fire.

_Ancient mariner in a sea… of sand,  
>The burning beauty his… tomb to die… fo…r<em>." She sang. Naruto looked up and saw Akoji eyes trained on Sakura's face. Naruto attempted to struggle, but he felt the hand tighten and the sword dig gently into his neck. Akoji was apparently still paying attention.

_One…. thousand one…. nights unseen….,  
>The phi….losopher and the que…..en<em>." she sang as the music creschendoed around Sakura as she danced. Her body movements were graceful and fluid.

_Heaven has a darkened face,  
>Dunes are soaring as on a chase.<br>Caravan of the cursed  
>Chasing him across the waves<em>." She sang as the music slowed and the chimes were heard clearly.

_May he now rest under aegis of mirage  
>As the sands slowly turn to Elysian fields<em>" she sang softly as the music crescendo again.

_One…. thousand one…. nights unseen….,  
>The phi….losopher and the que…..en<em>" She sang out as the dancing became faster and faster.

One thousand one' the chorus sang behind her.

_One…. thousand one…. nights unseen….,  
>The phi….losopher and the que…..en<em>" She belted out as the music continued around her. Her eyes were closed to the world outside of the music she was making.

_Hey ya,w eh eh eh e, ya, yaahh_," she sang, a smile on her face.

_Hey ya, weh eh eh e, ya, yaahh," _

_Hey ya, eh eh eh e, ya, yaahh,"_ she sang, a smile on her face.

_Hey ya, eh eh eh e, ya, yaahh,"_ she sang, a smile on her face.

She stopped singing as the song came to an end. The chorus still echoed around her until the last note, as the chakra-infused fire died down.

"Bravo," the commander clapped as she stopped singing and opened her eyes. "I have not seen such marvelous singing since Jurri and Emi Haruno in the War," he said. He glanced down at her for a moment, before saying, "I feel as if I am looking at Jurri Haruno's twin before me," he said.

"She is Jurri's daughter," Akoji said, releasing Naruto and walking forward. He grabbed Sakura's arm as she turned to run to her friend. "Ah, ah ahhh, not so fast," he said as his iron grip held her forearm.

"Please Ai-kun! I did as you asked. Let me heal him," Sakura begged him.

"Ai-kun?" the commander asked.

"Yes, actually I am part Haruno myself. When I was small, I use to spend my summers in the Haruno village with Sakura-chan here. However, after Jurri and Aoi Haruno's executions it became too dangerous, so we never went back," Akoji explained. He smiled down at Sakura. "Imagine my surprise when I saw my old friend."

"Well, the Haruno must be kept here at all costs," the commander said. He leered down at Sakura. "We must keep her here. She'll join my personal servant women," the commander said.

"Absolutely not," Akoji said sharply. He dropped Sakura to the floor and faced the commander.

"Do you dare go against me Akoji?" the commander asked.

"Remember who the real commander here is," Akoji said his voice icy. His eyes bored into the commander as chakra pooled up around him, much like Sakura's had done.

The Konoha ninja watched as the commander's eyed went wide with fear. "S-she's all yours," the commander croaked out.

"Thanks," Akoji said the smile back on his face. "It takes a certain kind of man to deal with Haruno women. I highly doubt you could handle her," he said.

"N-n-no, of course," the commander said shakily.

"Bring them to the cells," Akoji commanded the stone ninja. He looked down at Sakura, who had remained on the floor. "Come with me," he said sharply. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. Sakura stood and walked with him, his hand holding her arm in an iron grip.

Akoji led them to the bowels of the tower. Sakura began to fear as they came to a small door at the bottom of the tower. Akoji took a key ring out of his obi and unlocked the door. He led them inside the prison.

The stench was unbearable. On each side of the tiny hallway were dark, damp cells used for holding prisoners. Akoji led them to the very last cell before fiddling with the keys again and opening the iron door.

He and Sakura stood off to the side as the stone ninja brought in Sakura's teammates. They sat the Konoha ninja on the floor and chained their arms above their heads. Akoji tossed them the keys, and the ninja locked the chains.

"Please let me heal Naruto," Sakura begged Akoji, as she gripped the fabric of his kimono, holding on to him. "Please Ai-kun, please let me do this," she begged him, tears in her eyes. "If they stay down here with open wounds they might die."

Akoji looked down into her eyes. He held her for a moment. "Fine," he sighed as he turned away. "But make it quick."

"Thank you Akoji!" Sakura said as she rushed to her teammates. She began to heal Naruto first, her chakra glowing on her hands. She quickly patched up the sword wound on his chest before doing the other small cuts and scrapes he received.

Next she moved on to Kiba and Neji, who had sustained worse damage. She sped up their healing process, allowing their wounds to close quickly.

Finally she reached Sasuke. He had no injuries but Sakura took her time checking him over anyway. Sasuke stared at her, his onyx eyes melting a hole in his brain. "Is it true?" he whispered as she inspected his arm.

"Yes," she whispered back. "He's an old friend."

"Don't do anything," Sasuke said. "Just wait."

Sakura smiled sadly at him. "I will get you out of here, have no fear," she said quietly.

"But what will happen to you?" he asked urgently.

She smiled. "So you do care about me, huh Sasuke?" she said chuckling. "Please, forget about me. I'll be fine," she said as she stood.

"Done?" Akoji asked his arms folded as he leaned back against the wall.

Sakura stood and faced him. "Yes," she answered.

"Sakura! Don't go with him!" Sasuke called to her. Sakura looked over her shoulder and gave him a watery smile.

Akoji spun her around, forcing her lips to crash into his. Sakura whimpered at the brute force he used as he grabbed her hair before she could move away. He bit her lip hard, causing her to gasp as he forced his tongue into her mouth.

He let her go, a smirk on his face. "As I thought," he said, an arrogant smirk that rivaled Sasuke's plastered across his face. He put his arm around Sakura as he led her out of the cell.

Sakura looked over her shoulder one last time as the door closed. She smiled, tears dripping down her face.

"SAKURA!" Sasuke roared as the door slammed shut, blocking Sakura form him "SAKURA!"

"Sasuke, stop," came Naruto's feeble voice. Sasuke turned to see his best friend, tears threatening to spill over in the back of his eyes. He saw Naruto had tears silently dripping down his face. That was the breaking of the dam for Sasuke. He looked away as his own tears came gushing forth, his head bent so his teammates couldn't see them.

/

Akoji opened a door and strode in, a reluctant Sakura behind him. He pulled on the arm currently in his hand and pulled her forward. The door slammed shut behind them as Akoji turned to Sakura.

"What do you want from me?" she demanded, tugging on her arm in a feeble attempt to free herself.

"I thought that was obvious," Akoji said, pulling her so that she hit his chest, their faces inches apart. "I'll put it for you this way, then. You stay in the Stone as my personal mistress and I'll let your friends go."

"No!" Sakura said, struggling in Akoji's arms.

"Fine," he snapped. Akoji grabbed her wrist, his iron grip sure to leave a bruise there later. Sakura finally noticed they were in a bedroom, a large king bed directly in front of them. Akoji threw her on the bed, her body hitting the sheets hard.

In a split second he was already on top of her, his large body covering her own tiny frame. "How about this, if you continue this foolishness I'll kill your friends right here, right now. And you know I'll do it," he threatened.

"No, please, Akoji, this is between you and me. Leave them out of this," Sakura begged as she stopped struggling beneath his huge frame.

Akoji sighed and let her sit up on the bed, as he sat next to her. Sakura's eyes were full of tears, her hair hanging down over her face. "It's an easy choice," he continued, leaning close to whisper in his ear. "Fuck me or kill them. The choice is yours."

"Akoji…." She began.

He smirked. "Whatever happened to Ai-kun?" he teased her, his hand traveling up her neck, teasing the hair on the base of her neck. "I missed you Sakura-chan," he said softly. "You know I always liked you, didn't you Sakura-chan?" he asked softly as his lips teased the soft skin on her neck. Her skin was so soft, and smelled like the cherry blossom trees she was named after.

"Ai-kun," she whispered back, tilting her head to give him more room to kiss her. "Please don't hurt my friends. I'll do anything you ask…" she said.

"Now that is what I wanted to hear," he said gruffly as he pushed her back onto the bed. He quickly claimed her lips against his own, slowly savoring the flavor of his long-lost childhood love. He never imagined she would grow into such a beautiful woman.

Sakura kissed him back, tears forming in her eyes. His hands entwined in her hair, holding her head gently as he eagerly explored her mouth, his tongue making small circles around his own. Her mind flashed back to Naruto and Sasuke in the dungeon. She needed to do this for them.

Her spirit was renewed as he left her mouth, trailing hot kisses down her neck. Sakura put her arms around his broad back s he pulled her close to him. She felt him lift up her shirt, her eyes squeezed shut. Tears were running down her face as Akoji lifter her shirt over her head.

"You've changed," she managed to spit at him. "You're not Ai-kun anymore, you're a monster."

"You've changed too, Sakura," he said as he unclipped her bra. "You are much more beautiful and fiery, just my type," he said with a smirk before he bit down, causing her to gasp in pain. His teeth teased her nipple before moving to the other one.

Sakura gasped as his tongue began making slow circles while his other hand grasped her other breast hard. He slowly and tantalizingly swirled his tongue, making Sakura gasp. She saw him smirk as he looked up into her teary eyes. "It's only the beginning," he whispered huskily into her ear as he moved back up to tower over her. "I'll make you scream before we are done."

His sat up, Sakura still lying in between his legs. His hands quickly undid his obi before pulling the heavy sash off. Sakura's heart gave a jolt as he easily slid out of his yukta and threw it onto the floor. She felt an aching pain in her chest, a desolate, sinking feeling as it hit what was happening.

Sakura felt him grab her arms and force them above her head. With a grin, Akoji wrapped the obi around her hands, pulling it tight. Sakura knew she was trapped. Tears continued to flow as she tried to ignore the dread and fear threatening to consume her.

He continued, practically ripping her skirt and shorts off of her body. Sakura closed her eyes, not wanting to see anything else.

She felt his hands pull her body down towards him. For a split second he paused, and Sakura felt a small bubble of hope build up in her. Maybe he would stop. However, the small bit of hope she had was crushed when she felt him pull her legs out, forcing himself between them.

She felt him pause for a second.

Then she screamed as he thrust into her, her eyes shot open. He grunted as he moved his hips, leaning back down, his shoulders covering her body.

He thrust into her again, as she moaned as the pain began to fade. Slowly he began to speed up, his body moving against hers.

Sakura felt him give her two, long, hard thrusts before he pulled out. She barely had a second to react before he flipped her over with such a strong force it sent her body flopping on the bed. He pulled her legs up, spreading them out as he did. Sakura supported herself on her elbows as he pushed her back down a bit.

She felt him enter her again, this time his thrusts were faster and more controlled. He barely made a sound besides for the soft panting of his breath as they moved together.

Her legs became painful as his thrusts spread her legs more and more. Her thighs started to ache as he continued harder and harder. She looked down at the pillow, trying to block out what was happening to her at that moment. His hands gripped her thighs, pulling her into him so he could go even deeper into her.

A knock on the door pulled both of them back down to reality. "What!" Akoji yelled as he stopped his thrusts. His hands tightened on Sakura's legs, his nails digging into the skin.

"Commander wanted to see you immediately," came a voice from the other side of the door.

"Damn," Akoji cursed. He pulled out of Sakura and stood before gathering up his clothes.

Sakura lay back on the bed, trying to cover herself up as he got dressed. Akoji sauntered over to her, his face neutral. Sakura could see in his eyes the rage that was brewing inside of him. "I'll be back soon," he said as he unwrapped her hands. He dug into the dresser next to the bed, taking out two metal cuffs. He grabbed her hands, attaching one cuff to her, and locking it with a small metal key. He did the same for her other hand as well.

"Chakra chains," he explained. "I can't have you using any chakra now can I?" he said.

He tied his obi around his waist before picking up the sword leaning against the wall. "There are some clothes in the dresser," he said, pointing across the room. "You can wear those until I get back," he said "And then we'll pick up where we left off."

Sakura remained silent as she pulled the sheets of the bed around her body. He looked over one more time. "Don't even think about leaving or I'll kill your friends," he said harshly before opening th4e door. A resounding slam was heard as he closed it, followed by the click of a key locking the door.

Sakura stood, the sheets still wrapped around her body. She hoped Itachi got to them all soon, so she could be rid of Akoji.

She walked over to the dresser and opened it. Inside there was a beautiful kimono and obi. Sakura felt the smooth silk in her hands before she took it out of the closet and held it up. Sakura threw the kimono on the floor in a heap. She did not want his pity or any gift that Akoji could give her. She felt dirty and disgusting, her skin crawling.

With a sigh, she walked back over to the bed and lay down. Hopefully Akoji would be a while, so she laid down, pulling the comforter over her. Sakura drifted off to sleep without a second thought.

/

_It was summer at the Haruno village. Children were running in the street as the adults sat outside at their sales stands in the street. Some sold specialties, others owned restaurants and shops. All the houses were small, neat, and brightly colored. They were packed together so closely, there were only a few feet between them. Yet trees grew near the streets and flowered bloomed next to the houses._

_Sakura smiled as she looked out over her home. She was in a big house on top of the hill overlooking the village. The village was her home, and the big house belonged to her father's family, the main branch of the Haruno clan._

"_Sakura-chan! Do you want to go play?" a young boy asked from the door. He had messy white hair and bright blue eyes. He was only seven, three years older than Sakura. _

"_Sure Shou-kun," she said happily. Sakura skipped out of the room, grabbing her cousin's hand as she went. The best part about living in the big house was that she got to play with Shou-kun all the time. Sakura smiles as they went out to the Haruno orchards, which housed the gardens and the Sakura trees._

"_Hey Shou-kun, let's play in the woods!" Sakura said, pulling Shou's hand as she led him towards the Sakura trees. _

"_Okay!" Shou said happily as they ran to the trees. "How about tag?"_

"_Okay, YOU'RE IT!" Sakura shouted as she ran away from Shou into the trees._

"_You'd better hide Sakura-chan!"Called Shou as he chased her through the trees, laughing the whole time._

_The two children ran as fast as their legs could carry them. Finally, Shou caught up with Sakura. He reached out and tagged her arm. "You're it!" he called._

"_Let's take a break," Sakura said as she sat down next to the river they were at. She and Shou lay at the back of the river, looking up into the trees. _

"_Hey Sakura-chan, when we get older, do you think we will still be friends?" Shou asked her._

"_Of course we will!" Sakura said. "Forever and ever!"_

"_I hope so," Shou said. "What do you want to be someday Sakura-cha?" he asked._

"_I want to be a kunoichi, just like mommy and Auntie Emi. And once I am, I want to be a beautiful bride" Sakura said wistfully. "What about you Shou-kun?" she asked._

"_I want to be a strong ninja like father and Uncle Aoi," Shou said. "And someday, when I'm a strong ninja and you are a strong kunoichi we'll be the best ninja's ever!" he said happily._

"_Yeah, together forever," Sakura said, sticking out her pinky finger to Shou. "Pinky swear?"_

_Shou grabbed her pinky with his. "Of course! I know Sakura, you can marry me! And then we can reach our dreams together!" he said._

"_Aren't we already going to be married?" Sakura asked. "I heard daddy and mommy talking about it."_

"_Yeah, but it's not the same," Shou said, turning his head to look at her. "I don't want to marry Sakura-chan if she does not want to marry me," he said._

"_Of course I'll marry you Shou-kun!" Sakura said happily. She smiled as she looked up at the trees in the early morning._

"_Sakura! Shou-sama!" came the melodic voice of Jurri Haruno calling the two children back to the main house. The two instantly stood up, racing back to the house at top speed. Sakura held the bottom of her yukta up as she ran, careful not to trip._

_They reached the back doors to see a beautiful woman standing there. Her face was round and pixie-like, and her beautiful long red hair shone in the sun. Her bright green eyes were full of spark as she looked down at the two children. Her kimono was a blue with a waterfall at the bottom and kingfisher birds flying through the air. It trailed behind her, along with the bottom of her outer robe, which was a dark blue. _

"_Mommy!" Sakura said, launching herself into the woman's arms._

"_Aunt Jurri, what is it?" Shou asked curiously, a note of respect present in his voice._

"_Your distant cousins have come from the Capital," Jurri said as Sakura took hold of her mother's hand. "Lord Haruno wants you two to meet them."_

_The two children followed her inside the mansion. The mansion was a traditional house with two floors and traditional sliding doors. Jurri led them down a hall to another set of sliding doors. She kneeled and opened the door with two fingers, her kimono trailing behind her. Sakura was always filled with wonder at her mother's grace. She wondered if she would ever be as graceful as her mother. _

_Inside there was a dais against the wall. An older man sat upon it, white streaks dotting his brown hair. "Shou, come," he said. _

"_Yes father," Shou said as he took his seat next to the man. _

_On the opposite side of the room form Sakura there were three people. One man, one woman, and one small boy sat across form Sakura's father, who sat near the door. Jurri took her seat next to her husband and Sakura took the seat in between them. Her father smiled down at her as he patted her head._

"_Welcome to the Haruno village," Shou's father said. "I hope you will find your stay satisfactory."_

"_I am sure I will," the other man said. "Allow me to introduce my son Akoji," he said, motioning to the boy next to him. The boy looked up, directly at Sakura. He blushed and looked back down to the floor when she noticed him looking. _

"_I hope your wife is serving you well," Shou's father said with a glare at the woman. She flinched and looked down to the floor._

"_She is marvelous. She is an excellent cook and a perfect mother as well. I am very thankful for allowing my marriage, Haruno-san" the man said with a small bow to Shou's father._

"_Shou and Sakura will show young Akoji around the village. I trust you two will make our guest comfortable," Shou's father said as he shot a glare at Sakura._

"_Of course we will father," Shou said. He smiled to Sakura. "May we be excused to go play?" he asked._

"_Yes you may," Shou's father said. Shou and Sakura promptly fled the room, Akoji in tow._

"_How old are you Akoji?" Sakura asked. _

"_I am seven," Akoji said. "And you?" he asked politely._

"_I'm three!" sakura said happily. "But I'll be four soon!"_

"_That's nice," Akoji said with a smile. He looked down at the young girl next to him. She was really nice and happy, and she was also very pretty. He felt another blush forming as she smiled up at him._

"_Hey Sakura, let's show him the music room," Shou suggested._

"_Sure!" Sakura said as she skipped forward to catch up with her cousin. Akoji noticed Shou giving him a death glare behind Sakura's back, his eyes cold and emotionless._

_Shou turned back to Sakura, a smile on his face. "Let's go Sakura-chan," he said, taking hold of her hand. He led the way to a room full of toys with a grand piano in the middle. Shou instantly ran to the piano while Sakura turned to play with the toys scattered across the room._

_Akoji knelt down to play with the young girl. She smiled up at him as Shou began to play. Her eyes closed as she hummed along to the music…._

_/_

_Akoji did not know what to do. He had tried being friends with Shou, but the boy just did not like him. However, Sakura was another matter. The little girl just exuded happiness and had a certain light about her. Akoji smiled as the very girl in question ran around the garden, trying to catch the butterflies that were flitting about the flowers. Akoji smiled as he looked at the girl, whose hair seemed to catch the light just right. Her green eyes danced with laughter. Akoji had a strange feeling that everything was just… right….._

_He looked to his left. Shou Haruno was also watching Sakura, a small smile on his face. His eyes were filled with adoration as he looked at Sakura. Suddenly it clicked, the reason Shou did not like him became clear. He was jealous there was another cousin in Sakura's life for her to play with, even if it was only the summer._

_Shou caught Akoji staring at him. His eyes narrowed. "I don't trust you," he said, just low enough so that Sakura would not hear him. _

"_Afraid?" Akoji taunted. _

_Shou glared his gaze full of hate. "Try anything and I'll make sure that you suffer, you pathetic branch member," Shou hissed._

"_Oh, so you see me as competition?" Akoji continued, taunting Shou._

_He learned that day not to taunt Shou. In a flash, Shou was holding him down, punching his face. The intense look of hate in his gaze made Akoji's blood run cold. Akoji yelled as Shou continued to rain down punches on him._

"_Shou! Stop!" came a screech. Akoji looked up to see Sakura holding Shou's arm back, tears in her face. "Please stop Shou!" she sobbed as she clung to his arm. _

_Shou's ice gaze fell to Akoji. He smiled, and Akoji saw the utter killing intent in Shou's eyes, and for the first time in his short life he felt a paralyzing fear consume him. He couldn't move, his hands were shaking, and his eyes were caught on those ice blue orbs so full of hate staring at him…._

_Shou broke the stare, and turned to Sakura. "If you say so," he said. He leaned down and brushed away Sakura's tears. Akoji noticed Shou's hand had blood on it- his blood._

_Shou pulled Sakura away, but not before leveling Akoji with a gaze so full of hate it left Akoji shivering. _

_He would never see anyone else with so much hate in him as Shou Haruno._

_/_

_He couldn't stand it. How could Shou be so lucky? _

_He got to second every day with her. Sakura… _

_The small girl brought so much light to the world. He smile made everything else lack luster in comparison._

_It was unfair. _

_Akoji was filled with these thoughts as he watched Sakura and Shou. He wanted that to be him next to her._

_He wanted to be her best friend. She was just too nice for Shou._

_He promised himself that summer he would be Sakura's best friend next year, not Shou._

_/_

_The next summer…._

"_Mom, when are we going to the Haruno village?" Akoji asked one morning._

"_Akoji, we are not going," his mother responded, her usual voice very low and gruff. Her eyes were puffy and red, as if she had been crying. "We are not going back to that village."_

"_Why?" Akoji asked, dumbfounded. He wanted to see Sakura this summer._

"_Akoji, do you remember Sakura?" his mother asked._

"_Of course," he responded._

"_Sakura's parents are dead," his mother said. _

"_What?" Akoji asked. He was still, his eyes wide. HE was shocked, Aoi and Jurri Haruno were so strong, and how could anything take them down?_

"_They were executed for treason," his mother continued. "Shou's father gave them the death penalty for insubordination," Akoji's mother said, her voice wavering as tears threatened to spill. _

"_What happened to Sakura?" Akoji demanded. He imagined his friend all alone in some damp, dark place. _

"_I do not know. But it is too dangerous for any branch members in that village," his mother said._

_/_

Sakura slowly awoke her mind hazy. For some odd reason alarm bells were going off in her head. She groggily began to lift herself up and was suddenly cold. She felt a cool breeze on her skin and was shocked out of her sleeping trance.

She shot up, and for the first time she realized that the breeze was just the cold room she was in. She looked down to see herself covered in the sheets of the bed she was in. Sakura wrapped the sheets tighter around her as she remembered what had just happened. She began to feel her skin numbing, as her mind became cold. Her brain seemed to stop working as tears flowed down her cheeks. A sob tore from her throat as she buried her head in her hands.

"Sakura," she heard a voice call to her. She looked around and saw a Konoha ANBU outside the widow of the room. She instantly recognized him as Itachi.

She ran to the window, careful to keep the sheets around her body. She quickly undid the latch and opened it for him. "ANBU-san, thank goodness you got out okay," she said quietly as he slid into the room.

"Hn," was the answer he got. Itachi surveyed his surroundings quickly before looking at the young girl before him. He looked down, his eyes widening under his mask. She was only wrapped in a few sheets form the bed she had been laying on. Underneath she had no clothes, and her hair was messy as could be. In his mind Itachi put the pieces of the puzzle together and realized what had happened to the small kunoichi in front of him.

"The others are in the basement," she said quickly, just in case Akoji came back. She looked around the room frantically. "Ai-kun might come back any time, you need to leave," she said as she ran towards the door. Sakura tried pulling it in vain, but found it was locked.

"What happened?" Itachi asked. Sakura stopped in her tracks.

"I will let you go through here. Find the others and leave me," she said. "I'll stay here."

Itachi remained silent. "Why?" he asked.

"The others will be unharmed, I healed all their injuries," Sakura said as she continued on, barely even hearing Itachi.

They both froze as Sakura heard a pair of footsteps in the hall. A key was heard turning in the lock. Sakura whipped around to see Itachi was gone.

Akoji came in, his eyes fixed on Sakura, a smile on his face. "So I see you were waiting for me?" He joked.

"Yes," Sakura said quickly, a smile on her face.

In a second, she was up against the wall, Akoji's hand at her throat. She sputtered and choked as he held her body up off the floor, the sheet slipping from her body.

"Where is he?" Akoji demanded. "WHERE THE HELL IS HE!" he roared, slamming her into the wall again. His face was contorted in rage, the smile completely gone.

"Who?" Sakura managed to get out.

Akoji's hand tightened against her windpipe. "Don't fuck with me! Where is that ANBU you just let in, huh?"

Sakura's eyes widened. How did he know so fast?"

Akoji snickered. "You're wondering how I knew? Simple, I can sense another person was just in this room. He left a bit of chakra on the wall outside where he was standing," Akoji said. "Now where is he hiding?" he demanded.

"I don't know," Sakura choked out.

Akoji let her go, her body falling to the floor. She quickly gathered up the sheets around her. "Put that kimono on, there is a banquet tonight," Akoji said, he turned on his heel.

"ANBU-san, wherever you are, let me warn you," he called into the room. "I will find you. This is my tower, and I do not take thieves lightly."

He turned back towards Sakura. She whimpered as he lifted her off the floor by her hair. "I expected more of you," he hissed into her face. "Now get ready, there is a banquet tonight. I'll release your friends after, as long as you behave like a good girl," he practically spat at her.

Once more he threw her back down to the floor. "I'll expect more of you when I bring you back to Haruno Village," he said.

"What!" Sakura choked out from the floor. She tried to channel her chakra, but she felt a sudden shock.

She screamed as the cuffs shocked her. Her body convulsed before crumpling onto the floor.

Akoji knelt down in front of her. "Yes, you see, I'm planning on taking you back to the village. There, Haruno-sama will be so please I caught you that he will approve of our engagement," he said.

"You're a fool!" Sakura spat at him. "Do you really think they will give up a main branch member that easily?"

"I have my ways of pressuring them," Akoji said. He stood, "Now get ready," he said as he left the room.

Sakura gingerly lifted herself off the floor, her body hurt and sore. Her muscles screamed in protest as she tried to lift herself up. She managed to stand, her gaze dizzy. She only hoped Itachi had managed to escape while Akoji was preoccupied with her.

/

"God dammit! Where is he?" Sasuke cussed for the millionth time.

"Sasuke, calm down. Itachi will be here soon," Naruto said calmly.

"Who knows what the hell that bastard could be doing to Sakura upstairs!" Sasuke growled.

"Look Sasuke, we are all worried about Sakura. But yelling at the walls won't help her," Neji snapped at him.

"Look who's talking Hyuga," Sasuke snapped back.

"Excuse me, what the hell is your problem? You don't even like her!" Neji snapped right back.

"She's not that bad," Sasuke mumbled. "And besides, she's my teammate! Of course I'm worried about her!"

"I swear, if that bastard touches her, I'll kill him," Neji growled.

"Ohm, have a crush there pretty boy?" Kiba teased him.

"Shut it!" Neji said.

"Uh oh, I think I hit a nerve! Are you still mad because she dumped you?" Kiba said smiling.

Neji thrashed about, trying to get at Kiba. "None of your damn business!" he yelled.

"You dated Sakura?" Sasuke asked.

"Yo Sasuke, where have you been?" Kiba said. "Even I knew that. But that was a while ago. Aww, don't tell me you're still crushing on her Neji?"

"How interesting," came a mocking voice from the door to the cell.

The group turned to see Akoji walking into their cell. "What do you want?" Naruto snapped at him, rage burning in his eyes. "You have better not have touched our friend!"

Akoji laughed. "Well, I did have a taste, but I'm nowhere done with her," he smirked into the enraged Konoha ninja's faces.

"YOU BASTARD! WHAT HAS SHE EVER DONE TO YOU!" Naruto roared.

"Easy there orangey," Akoji said, leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed. "I'm here to tell you that you four are going to be released tonight after the banquet we are having."

"Really?" Sasuke asked.

"But what about Sakura!" Neji insisted.

"Well, she has kindly offered to stay here in return for your release," Akoji said smirking. "Now good day gentlemen, I'll see you in a few hours," he said with a wave.

"GET BACK HERE!" Neji roared.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!" Sasuke roared at him.

"Dammit….."

/

Sakura walked down the hallway, her face set in stone. She wore the kimono Akoji had given her. It really was beautiful, it was a dark blue with a pure white obi and a silver sash in the middle. White clouds decorated the bottom, and silver thread decorated the collar.

The guard led her to the room where they had first met the commander. The doors opened slowly for her.

Sakura walked in and notice the commander was not in his usual spot on the dais. Instead, Akoji sat surrounded by cushions and pillows. The commander sat below him on a simple cushion as women in kimonos like Sakura served them their food.

The guard pushed her forward into the room. On the side sat a group of musicians, who gently played their instruments as the stone ninja enjoyed the beautiful women around them.

Sakura noticed her friends on the wall to her left. They were chained with their hands above their heads, sitting on the floor. Sakura sighed in relief as she noticed they looked like they were okay, with no visible signs that they were hurt.

"Ahh, Sakura," came Akoji's voice from the head seat in the hall. "So good of you to join us," he said as he smirked down at her.

Sakura walked up to him, trying her hardest to keep her face smooth and free of emotion. She did not glance at her friends as she passed them. She stopped in front of Akoji and bowed to him, her hands clasped udder her long sleeves.

"Come here," Akoji commanded, holding out his hand. Sakura walked up to him and sat down next to him, careful to keep his eyes down. She smoothed out her kimono, her back straight as a rod.

Akoji grabbed her chin and pulled her around, forcing her to look at him. He searched her face, his cold eyes never leaving hers. Slowly he leaned forward, taking her lips in a searing kiss.

He pulled away as slowly as he had leaned forward, a smirk plastered across his face. Sakura looked at her friends, and noticed Neji and Sasuke were livid. Neji had started to struggle against his chains, leaving angry welts that Sakura could see from her seat.

Sakura looked straight at them, her eyes silently pleading for them to stop. Neji looked up at her and caught her gaze. She smiled weakly at him, which he returned. He stopped struggling and looked away, his head bent so she could not see his face.

Akoji wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her in closer to him. Sakura looked at him as he smiled back. "Loosen up, Sakura, and enjoy the party," he said as a servant placed two plates of food on a table in front of them.

He gently kissed her neck above the kimono collar. Sakura tried to push him away, but his arm held her tight. "Don't fight me," he whispered to her.

Suddenly a huge explosion was felt. It shook the whole building, making the walls quake and throwing people from their seats.

Akoji was up in an instant. "Get the men to the front! Form ranks!" he roared to the room. At his command, the stone ninja came alive and rushed out. He looked down at Sakura. "Stay here!" he hissed to her as he ran out of the room with his men.

Sakura bounded over to her friends. "Are you okay?" she asked as she kneeled down in front of them. She pulled out a ring of keys and quickly started to test each one in the lock chaining her teammat4es to the wall.

"Where did you get that?" Naruto asked in amazement.

"I lifted it off Akoji while he was kissing me," Sakura said with a grin. "The dumb ass didn't even notice."

"Sakura, you're my hero," Naruto said, his voice suddenly serious

Sakura chuckled as the fourth key opened the locks with a resounding click. Sakura pulled the chains through the loops on the walls, releasing her friends. She then unlocked the chakra limiters she wore on her hands. "Let's get out of here!" she said as they bolted to the exit.

The Konoha ninja ran as fast as they could. Sakura pooled out her chakra, looking for a way out. She spotted an exit, but then she spotted…..

"This way!" she yelled, taking a sharp right. She noticed the others had not heard her and were not following. She shook her head and continued down the hallway, another explosion rocking the building.

She came to a hall, much like the banquet hall. However here there was the scroll they came for sitting on a pedestal in the middle of the room.

However, that was not what caught her eye first. In the middle of the room, Akoji and Itachi were battling each other, their chakra up full blast. They both held many serious injuries and were in desperate need of a medic, fast.

Sakura watched in horror as they made one last charge at each other, their swords held high.

The world seemed to stand still as both swords descended.

"ITACHI!" Sakura screeched, causing Akoji to look over at her for a split second.

In that second, Itachi sliced down, his katana slicing Akoji's body down his chest.

Sakura watched as Akoji's eyes widened in surprise. He took a step back, blood pooling on the floor below him. He looked up at Sakura, a sad smile on his face.

"_I'm sorry,"_ he mouthed. His lips moved but no sound came out. Slowly, he sank to his knees as his kimono was stained red with blood. His body slowly lurched forward onto the cold, hard floor of the room and Akoji moved no more.

Sakura looked over at Itachi. He was standing still, his face cold and impassive like always. He surveyed his victim with his activated sharingang.

A moment later, his eyes had closed and he was falling to the ground.

Sakura did not remember moving, but she found herself catching Itachi's limp body. She struggled a bit, since he was heavier than she thought. Finally, she had him slung over her shoulders as the ceiling caved in around them. Large chunks of roof were falling, crashing down and destroying the floor Sakura was standing on.

She took a deep breath and ran. She easily dodged all of the falling rocks, her chakra-filled legs running as fast as they could carry her.

Sakura let her chakra flow into the ground. She searched and searched until finally she found an exit from the labyrinth of hallways she was in.

She ran as the ceiling began to crumble. She ran and ran, dodging boulders and chunks of falling debris. Finally she spotted a sliver of light ahead. She increased her speed, running faster, and faster, and faster, until…

With a leap, she cleared the back entrance to the tower. Sakura sighed in relief when she saw that the door of the wall was left wide open to allow the stone ninja to escape.

Sakura ran past it, not slowing down even for a second as she reached the woods.

/


	3. Chapter 3

Non-massacre ItaSaku. Numbers refer to authors notes at the end of the chapter. The end of this chapter will be a collection of short stories about Itachi and Sakura as they are living in the Stone for a while. They all take place within a month.

Chapter 3

She finally stopped running, her breath coming out in gasps and pants. She had reached a mountain far away from the tower. Sakura highly doubted any stone ninja would have followed her here. She fanned out her chakra, using the tree roots to boost her scanning area. She found no signs of villages for miles, which made her sigh in relief.

Sakura began walking up the side of the mountain, trying to find shelter. Somehow Itachi felt even heavier now. He had not awoken sine his fight with Akoji. Sakura searched, knowing she needed to find a place to treat him and fast.

Luck was with her today. She found a cave opening, partially hidden by bushes and brush. She jumped over them and into the cave.

It was dark as night in there. She again used her chakra to scan around the area, careful not to scan too far. She still needed to conserve chakra for healing Itachi. However, her scan found that there was a small room off to the side of the cave.

She found her way there, careful to keep at least one hand on the wall. Sakura turned and found herself in a small cave off of the larger one, and it was just right for two people.

She gently set Itachi down on his back and fiddled in his pack. She found a small lantern and a flint for starting it. She struggled with the flint for a second in the dark. However, two sparks were4 seen and suddenly there was light.

The cave was a small area, with smooth walls. Sakura noticed some old cave paintings of animals were on the walls. However, she disregarded them and focused on Itachi.

She removed his pack, careful to not aggravate his wound any further. She fumbled around and found that he, in a stroke of genius, had grabbed the contents of her pack as well. Here were her shinobi clothes and her medical kit.

Sakura could have kissed him. She smiled as she proceded to pull the damn kimono off of her body. She then fumbled around and brought out their sleeping mats. She set up one in the middle of the floor. Gently, she lifted up Itachi by his shoulders and moved them onto the mat. Then, she moved his feet as well, getting him securely on the mat.

Sakura tied her hair back and went to work. She funneled her remaining chakra into her hands, hoping it would hold out.

She put her hands on Itachi's wound and began to funnel chakra into it. Thankfully, the hit had missed all of his vital organs, and only cut open his skin. However, a lot of blood was lost, and infection had already begun to set in.

Sakura pumped her energy into Itachi's antibodies, jump starting them into action to attack the infection. She moved her hands slowly and fluidly as she led his white blood cells to the sight of the infection. As Itachi's body began to work, Sakura focused on his wound.

Slowly, bit by bit," she helped the skin rebuild new cells. She increased their energy by supplying her own.

Hours later, the wound was sewn up. Sakura sighed, her chakra almost spent. She grabbed the obi form the kimono and wrapped Itachi's wound with it. She sat back, her body exhausted.

However, she knew her work was not done. Sakura stood gingerly, her muscles screaming in protest. She had to find firewood and running water fast, or else run the risk of dehydration.

She came out of the cave and looked around. She closed her eyes and listened for the sound of a distant stream.

She heard the soft gurgling of a brook. Sakura sped off in that direction, careful not to lose her bearings of where the cave was.

She came to a small creek of running water. The creek was clear and bright as it ran down the mountainside. Sakura dipped her canteen in, collecting a full bottle. She also dipped Itachi's in, filling that as well. Sakura found that Itachi had obviously lifted another canteen from the tower, so Sakura filled that as well.

She turned back to the cave and spotted half of a dead tree sitting near the river bank. A thought struck her and she grinned.

Sakura picked up the tree using her super-strength. She carried it back to the cave and set it down in the main part of the cave. She raised a fist, infused with chakra.

With a splintering sound she hit the tree with her fists, causing it to splinter into many pieces. Sakura smiled, she now had enough firewood for a week, at least.

She went back to Itachi and noticed he was sleeping. She brought in a few logs and placed them away from his blanket. Using the flint, she lit the wood, starting a small fire to keep them warm.

Sakura set the canteens by the fire, and rummaged in the pack. She found a small cooking pot and two blankets, as well as a small bit of dried food.

She set up the pot over the fire and poured the water in. She needed to kill all the bacteria before she could let anyone drink the water. She also hung one of the blankets over the door, for two reasons. One was to block the light of the fire from any passing stone ninja's. The other was to keep the heat in the cave.

Finally, Sakura sat down. She pulled the kimono over; thankful it was a heavy winter kimono. She covered Itachi with it, making sure his body was warm. She felt his forehead and realized he was running a fever, a sign his body was fighting the infection.

Sakura tore a small strip off of the sleeve of the kimono. She took the pot off of the fire and set it aside, but not before dipped this into the boiling water and putting it on his forehead.

She wrapped herself in the other blanket and sat back. They would survive for now. She felt herself doze off as sleep claimed her.

/

Itachi woke up groggily, his head hurting. His eyes remained shut as he tried to move.

Suddenly, a pair of small hands pushed his shoulders back down. A voice was heard, and soon the same small hands were pulling his body up, his large shoulders being propped against the small frame of a petit woman's body.

He opened his eyes to see a beautiful woman looking down at him. His eyes widened as he noticed her flawless, pale skin, and her round, pixie-ish face. Her bright green eyes drew him in, the depths of them startling him. His eyes moved down to her luscious pink lips, full and pursed, just begging to be kissed.

"Uchiha-sama," she said bringing him back out of his musings. He noticed that it was Sakura he was leaning against, and it was her tiny hands that had held him up on her lap. "You have to drink," she continued, as she lifted a canteen to his mouth.

He leaned his head back as she poured the water in his mouth. His body was heavy and he was unable to move. The water was warm, with a hint of some herbs that had brewed in it.

"More," he rasped. He saw her gingerly pick up another canteen, this time taking her time in giving him the warm tea she had made.

His headache receded as he drank, as did the dizziness he had. He felt her lay him back down on the comfortable blanket. He watched as she busied herself around the fire, pouring more water into the two canteens to make the tea.

"Sasuke?" he rasped, only managing to get one word out.

"I don't know. We got separated in the tower," Sakura answered.

"We need to get back… We must... help….Sasuke!" Itachi grumbles as he tried to sit up.

Sakura quickly pushed him back to the ground. "Calm down. They were heading toward the exit when I lost them. We need to focus on getting you well again before we even think of travelling," she said.

"No!" Itachi said. "I have to save my brother!" he said, his voice slightly delirious from the fever.

Sakura sighed as she pressed a pressure point in the back of his neck. Itachi instantly fell limp, his mind back in a deep sleep. Sakura did not need him to be up and about while he was delirious with a fever. He might be sick, but Itachi was still an ANBU captain, and even sick he was still a threat to be considered.

Sakura began to stir the soup she had boiling on the fire. She had found some herbs and had also managed to catch and skin a few rabbits and squirrels. It was not the best, but it would get them by for now until they could leave this cave.

/

Once again, Itachi awoke, this time he felt much better. His headache was gone and his body no longer felt ice cold. He sat up, and this time there was no dizzy sensation. He looked around and saw that he was in a small cave with a fire cracking merrily near the wall. A delicious smell was coming from a small pot near the fire.

He was hit with the memory of that beautiful woman who had saved him. He searched his thoughts and remembered blanking out after he had seen her run to catch him in the tower. He remembered waking and feeling her small hands holding him up. He also remembered the tiny body that he leaned against as she fed him the tea. He remembered her taking extensive care of him, making sure he would survive to make it back to Konoha.

He looked around and saw her sitting next to the fire. She was resting; large bags were noticeable under her eyes. She held a thin blanket around her shoulders and was shivering slightly.

Itachi stood and walked over to her, kneeling down in front of her. He never noticed how beautiful she was. Her pale skin reflected the light of the fire. Her pink hair caught the orange light, making it glow a light pink. Her lips were pursed as she breathed slowly through them. Her long lashes batted against her rosy cheeks as she slept. He wondered how Sasuke could have ever had thought she was ugly. Ugly was not a word to describe the creature sitting before him.

He could see how Neji had fallen for this girl. As her chest rose and fell, Itachi wondered how Neji had ever managed to let her go. He smirked slightly as he realized it must not have been the annoying Hyuga's decision to break up.

Itachi put a hand to her forehead and felt it burning under his touch. His eyes widened in alarm as he drew his hand back. It was just then he noticed her clothes were wet. He heard the distant sound of rainfall and saw the dead rabbits next to the fire and the full canteens. She must have gone out and collected supplies in the rain.

Itachi felt thickening guilt, knowing because of his illness this woman had risked her health to make sure he was cured. She had risked her life to save him, and had nursed him back to health all by herself in the middle of the wilderness. His admiration for the young kunoichi grew exponentially at that thought.

Her eyes fluttered open as she noticed he was in front of her. "Oh, you're awake," she said groggily. "Good. Food's by the fire," she said as she lifted a hand up to rub her tired eyes.

"Haruno-san, relax," he said as he pushed her back against the wall.

She looked straight at him, her eyes glassy and hazy. "How are you feeling Uchiha-san?" she asked seriously as she reached out to feel his forehead.

Itachi almost flinched as the warm hand came in contact with his forehead. "Hmm, fever is down," she said. Itachi stayed perfectly still as her small hands came to a rest on his chest. He felt a small sliver of chakra enter his system. He felt a floating sensation as his chest suddenly felt light and airy. It made his stomach feel like there were butterflies flitting around in it.

She pulled away, and the feeling of floating went away as her chakra did. "Good as new," she said softly, her eyes drooping.

"Haruno-san," Itachi called to her as her eyes closed gently. "Haruno-san," he called.

Her body suddenly slumped to the floor, her body limp. "Sakura!" Itachi exclaimed as he attempted to sit her up. She had passed out form the fever, her breath slow and shallow.

Itachi started to get worried. He gently laid her on the sleeping rolls she had set out for him and covered her with the kimono. He had absolutely no idea what to do, since he had no medical training whatsoever. However, he realized that she needed help fast.

He looked around for anything else to keep her warm and made a shocking discovery. He realized that she had used both rolls for him and gave him the heavier blanket. His brain clicked as to why she was getting sick. She had given him all the blankets, preferring to sit on the cave floor wrapped in a thin sheet while she looked over him. He made a guess that she had even slept like that, sitting up and watching over him while he healed.

His respect for the young kunoichi rose even higher. She had saved him, but she had sacrificed herself in the progress.

Itachi looked around and spotted his pack. He grabbed it, rummaging through to see if there was anything to help him there.

There was nothing, since all of Sakura's medical herbs had been used on him to heal his fever. He rummaged deeper and found a small packet. He drew it out and discovered that it was the packet of medical herbs Midori had given him before he set off to Konoha.

He opened it and saw a few different kinds of plants in there. He looked at them, unsure of which ones to use. However he noticed a small note folded up in the plants. He took it out and opened it, his curiosity rising as he unfolded the faded paper.

_Told you so! _ It read.

_Inside- calendula- anti-inflammatory fever reducer- mix with hot water and feed twice a day to lower fever_

_Comfrey- helps heal cuts and bruises- wipe directly on area_

Itachi was shocked as he read. The girl seemed to know exactly what he needed. He began to wonder what else she knew.

He turned the paper over and got another shock. On the back was close-up map of a mountain range. It showed the bottom part of the range and the surrounding villages. However, what shocked Itachi was that one of the mountains had a small X on the side. Beside it were the words "_You are here"_ written in the same neat handwriting as the other side of the note from Midori. A small dotted line was drawn from the X to another spot, not too far away from the cave. Another X was in this random location.

Next to the X was a single sentence that shocked Itachi.

"_Go here, they will help Sakura,"_ it said.

Itachi studied the map for a minute. He estimated that it was only a few hours away from the cave they were in. He shook his head, not wanting to trust a small child with their lives. They were in enemy territory and the only person he could trust was himself.

He turned to Sakura. She was resting peacefully on the makeshift bed, her face peaceful. He looked at her once again before he went to brew some tea with the herbs in it.

He noticed that Sakura had stocked up on their water supply by making water containers out of the fur from the animals she had caught. Each water sac was strung up in a row away from the fire, and the rope holding them up was pinned by a kunai.

Itachi stood, slightly awed by her ingenious idea. He stared at it for a few seconds before he untied one of the bundles and took it down. He set it by the pot and noticed there was some food inside, still warm, which Sakura had made for him.

As the tea boiled in the pot, Itachi felt a twinge of fear for the first time.

/

Itachi was sitting by the fire when she awoke. He knew the fever was still raging in her body because her eyes were still glassy.

He watched as she sat up and looked around. Her eyes slowly traveled over everything in the room, seemingly taking close account of everything there was in the small cave.

Her eyes soon settled in Itachi. He knew his face was slightly in the shadows, so he doubted she could see him that well.

"Sasuke?" she asked dazed.

Of all the things he expected, this was not one of them. His blood ran cold as his brother's name slid over those perfectly plump lips of hers. He was gripped by a sensation of rage as he heard her utter the syllables of his brother's name.

"Sasuke? Why are you here?" she asked as she coked her head to the side. Itachi stood and walked towards her, sitting down next to her, not saying a single word.

"Why Sasuke?" she asked, her voice cracking. "Why am I not good enough for you?"

Itachi stayed frozen as she continued. "I tried Sasuke. I tried to be strong. I became a medic; I was trained under the Hokage…. I did it all so you would notice me," she said. Itachi closed his eyes, fearing what she would say next.

He felt something push him to the ground. Too late, he realized that Sakura was straddling his waist, her legs around him as he lay on the floor. His eyes widened considerably as he watched her medical apron rise up her leg, giving him a clear view of one of her well-toned thighs.

"I did everything!" she said as she gripped the front of his shirt with her fists. "Everything for you! Why Sasuke, why do you still not notice it all? Why do you still think I'm weak?" she roared at Itachi.

Itachi decided to play along. "What about Neji?" he asked.

She blinked. Itachi was unsure if he did the right thing until she spoke. "Neji…" she said softly. "I really did like him. I tried to get over you and be happy with him. But it didn't work. We were too different," she said, leaning down to whisper in Itachi's ear.

"You never noticed we even fucked, did you?" she hissed. "You didn't care as long as you were training and pleasing your clan? The Uchiha clan is like any other. Let me tell you now, Sasuke, a clan that is high and mighty has a mighty fall. My own clan fell from grace. The Haruno clan is full of evil murdered, torturers, and worst of all, the victims can do nothing," she said.

"I just wanted to tell you," she continued, looking him directly in the eye.

However, Itachi had stopped paying attention. Sakura kept shifting her hips as she moved, making her groin rub up and down on Itachi's. Itachi tried to be a gentleman, but even he was only a man and was susceptible to a very beautiful woman on top of him.

"… I hate you Sasuke," she hissed into his ear.

However, Itachi was still a bit curious. He smirked as he decided to ask her another question. "And Itachi?" he asked.

She stayed still, her glassy eyes looking directly into his. "I forgot," she said with a grin. "You idolize him, don't you? Itachi this, Itachi that…." She said as she laughed. "Oh, you really want to be just like him, don't you? Well let me tell you now, Sasuke, you will never be half the man that Itachi is," she spat at him.

Itachi felt a swell of pride at her words. He had no clue why her words affected him so much. It took all of his energy to keep a huge grin off of his face and hold up his Uchiha façade. He suddenly realized he was afraid that she belonged to his brother, afraid that Sasuke was all that was on her mind.

He was abruptly pulled out of his musings as she slowly kissed his neck, her hot tongue drawing lazy circles on the sensitive skin there. A gasp tore from his throat as her hips moved slowly along his groin, the up and down motions driving him almost over the edge. He instantly grasped her legs, his hands running up and down the back of her legs. He thrust up into her hips, sorely wishing there were no clothes between him.

"I'm going to make you want me. I'll make you want to scream for me. But Sasuke…. You had your chance. You'll never have me," she said as she jumped off of him.

The sudden loss of her body on top of him snapped him back into action. He felt a cold draft on his chest where she was just sitting a second ago.

Itachi watched in horror as she threw her head back and laughed as she ran out of the cave.

He jumped up, following after her. Dammit, he had net his guard down around her. He shook his head, mentally preparing himself to face her again. He needed to have a calm head, but he found that he could not think straight at that moment.

He came to the main cave entrance and saw that it was pouring outside. He mentally cursed as he looked out and spotted her. She laughed again and disappeared into the forest.

Itachi bounded after her, knowing he had to get her back before any stone ninja's caught her. They were in enemy territory and needed to get her back a soon as possible.

He bounded after her, running as fast as his legs could carry her. He saw her up ahead, running away from him.

She laughed at him as she turned to face him, a crazed smile on her face. "Catch me if you can Sasuke!" she laughed at him as he reached the tree right in front of her.

She sped off in a blur of red and pink, her speed surprising him. He cursed as he took off again, the light pink flash of her hair only a little bit ahead of him.

He finally caught her, grabbing her hand to slow her down. In one swift movement he pulled her to his chest, his lips crashing down on hers.

Itachi felt Sakura move her mouth with his. He eagerly deepened the kiss, both of them fighting for control. Their tongues moved together as the rain pelted their forms.

Before he could control himself, Itachi was in between her legs, her back against a tree, their mouths fighting each other hungrily. Sakura wrapped her legs around his torso as he held her up with his arms, his body pressing down into hers. Itachi begin to run his hands over her legs and back, his hands now moving of their own accord.

He broke the kiss, but only for a second, to focus on her neck. Sakura let out a moan as he latched onto her, his breath hot against her skin. Itachi licked off the rain drops as they pelted her pale skin. Both of them were soaked, but neither noticed the cold, their bodies were too closely intertwined.

"Mmmhh… Sasuke!" Sakura moaned, her hands reaching up to entwine in Itachi's hair.

Her moan brought him back to his senses. He pulled away, looking down at the woman below him. Her eyes looked up at him, desire coursing through them, begging him to continue.

He reached behind her head and pressed a pressure point. Instantly she fell into his arms, limp as a doll. Itachi gritted his teeth as he felt his body attempt to rebel. He wanted to wake her up and continue where he had left off.

Itachi took a deep breath. Then another one. Finally he quieted down his body's response to the young woman in his arms. He slung her over his shoulder, careful not to hurt her or jostle her, and turned back towards the cave.

/

Itachi had never been worried. He was calm, cool, and always collected. However, for the first time in his life he felt scared.

Sakura's fever had worsened. She lay on the makeshift bed, panting and sweating.

He looked again at the map Midori had given him. Itachi had been debating it over the last few days if he should take the advice or not.

How could she have known where the two of them would end up after the mission? And how did she know what herbs Itachi would need for his mission? There were a lot of things that did not add up here, and he was hesitant to trust a little girl with something so important.

But on the other hand, Midori was Sakura's cousin and seemed to care deeply for her. Surely Midori would want to help Sakura instead of hurt her.

He looked down and saw Sakura' face contorted in pain. She had risked her life to save him. Therefore he would do the same for her.

He quickly gathered all their belongings into the packs, keeping one of the blankets out. He put out the fire and made sure to leave no trace they were ever there. The canteens were already filled and the animal skins were buried, along with the remains of the fire. No one could know they were there, or the two of them would risk exposure.

Finally, the cave was empty. Itachi put the backpack on Sakura's back before wrapping her up on the blankets. He eased her onto his back, her arms draped across his shoulders. Her breath came out in gasps and pants near his ears. Finally, he looped his arms around her legs to keep her from falling.

He ran out of the cave, thankful the rain had finally stopped. He took the map out of his pocket and got his bearings before taking off in the direction the map indicated.

He hoped he was doing the right thing.

/

Itachi thought it could not get any worse. However, it had. It was now raining again.

He mentally cursed as he looked at the map one more time. He was almost there!

He ran, and soon he came to a large house in the middle of the woods. Itachi did not even stop to check out the surrounding area, he simply ran right up to the door. He shifted Sakura a little and knocked on the front door of the house.

A few seconds later, a small old woman opened it for him. "Yes dear, may I help you?" she asked.

"Please, she needs medical attention," Itachi panted as he shifted Sakura on his back.

The woman's eyes narrowed. "Of course, come this way," she said, allowing Itachi to come in the house. Itachi walked in to find a simple, yet beautiful house. The walls were painted a cheery blue color, and the room was decorated much the same way.

"Put her on the couch," the woman said. "Haiyo, grab some cold water and a few blankets," she called into another room of the house. "Luck for you two I use to be a stone medic before my retirement. Don't worry, I'll have her fixed up in a jiffy" the woman said with a smile.

Itachi gently shifted Sakura off his back. He took off their pack before laying her on the couch. She looked worse, her face was deathly pale and her breath came out in pants.

"Now, you sit as well sonny," the lady said as she motioned at a large, plush chair next to the couch. Itachi sat down, his face stone; although he was shivering form the cold trek in the rain.

AN old man came shuffling in, carrying a huge armload of blankets. He brought them over to the woman and took one of the top of the pile. Itachi noticed both people wore gray kimonos with a green overcoat. The man shuffled over to him.

He wrapped a thick, heavy blanket around Itachi's shoulders. "Here you go sonny, I'll be back with some tea and miso soup to warm you up," the man said with a smile.

"Thank you," Itachi said.

"Oh it's nothing dearie, let's just hope you girlfriend will be okay as well," the woman said. "Now, have you given her any medicine at all?" she asked, surveying Itachi with a critical eye.

"I gave her calendula," Itachi responded.

"I see," the woman said. "Good for you, you at least kept the fever at bay. How did she get like this?" she asked as she began to cover Sakura with a multitude of blankets.

"We were attacked on our way to the Waterfall Country," Itachi said, making up a story on the spot.

"Are you traders?" the woman asked him.

"Yes," Itachi said.

"And who is this woman here?" she asked.

Itachi paused for a split second. "She is my wife Sakura," he said in a monotone voice.

The woman raised her eyebrows at him. "Oh, I see… Well, do you mind telling me your names?" she asked. "You definitely are a man of few words, that's for sure," she said with a laugh.

"I am Itachi Miyaki, and this is Sakura Miyaki," he said, making up a name on the spot.

"Well Miyaki-san, it is nice to meet you," the woman said with a smile. "I am Nami Kotaru and this is my husband Tsubaki. We are farmers now, and you are welcome to stay here until your wife gets better," Nami said as she looked over Sakura.

"Thank you," Itachi said.

"Here you go," Tsubaki said as he brought in a tray with some miso soup on it and a tall glass of water. Under his arm was a large box Itachi guessed was a medical kit. He set the tray down on a small table next to Itachi and gave the box to Nami. "Make yourself at home sonny," he said as he sat down in another chair facing the couch where his wife was examining Sakura.

"So, where are you two form?" he asked as he took out a pipe from inside his kimono. He also took out a bag and began doffing his pipe in it.

"We are from Amegakure no sato(2). We were on a trade route when we were ambushed and robbed. We travelled in the forest and made it to a mountain range near here," Itachi said.

"How did she become so sick?" Nami asked.

"I was hurt and she helped take care of my injury. She went out in the rain many times to gather supplies and became like this," he said. Nami had already turned her back and was busy with Sakura. However Itachi knew she was paying attention to his every word.

"I see… she is a very remarkable woman," Nami said. "Now you must rest as well, and I'll take care of her."

"I'll stay with her," he said.

"Please, you must rest!" Nami urged him.

"Then I will rest here," Itachi said finally.

Nami sighed. "Fine, have it your way," she said.

Itachi laid back and closed his eyes. Before he knew it, he was asleep.

/

Sakura groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. They widened in surprise as her first sight was Itachi's face hovering over her own.

"It...a…chi…." she groaned.

"Shhh, Sakura, its okay," he said quietly, his hand gently wiping a hair out of her face. "Play along," he whispered to her.

"Is she awake?" came voice from the hall. Sakura watched as an old woman walked in. "Oh good, I was hoping you would wake up soon. Your husband has been worried sick."

Sakura raised a brow at Itachi. He simply smirked back at her, his trademark Uchiha smirk plastered across his face.

"Dearie, eat," the woman said, placing a plate of food in front of Sakura.

Itachi placed a hand on her back and gently helped her to sit up. Sakura began digging into the food in front of her. She found she was famished and it tasted good. There was also a cup of hot tea on the low table in front of the couch.

The woman left the room. "Husband?" Sakura asked quietly.

Itachi smirked. "Am I not your type?" he asked his face emotionless.

Sakura blinked. "Oh my, an Uchiha just made a joke. This must be a first," she said.

Itachi smirked. "Just play along for now, and we will be okay."

"All right," Sakura said.

The woman came back. "Now that you're done, let me explain what we'll do. We have another house on the property that you two are welcome to stay in. I know that all your belongings were stolen by the bandits, but we have extras in the house. My daughter and son in law use to live there, but they moved out many years ago. Most of the belongings are there, so you two are welcome to use whatever you want," the woman said. "Now move along and we'll talk about everything else tomorrow."

"Thank you Nami-san," Itachi said. "I will take it from here," he said.

"Of course," Nami said with a wink at Sakura. "Behave you two," she said with a smile.

Sakura gasped as Itachi put his arms under her legs and back. He picked her up bridal style, making Sakura squeak. She instantly put her arms around Itachi's neck as he began to walk outside of the front door.

Sakura looked around as he carried her around the small farm house. Behind the house were two huge barns and another small house. The forest was not as thick in this area, leading to a large open field. The field had rows and rows of corn and other plants for as far as Sakura could see.

Itachi walked up the front steps to the other house, his face emotionless. He shifted Sakura slightly before opening the door. He kicked it shut behind him with a bang.

"Hey, I can walk now," Sakura said as soon as the door was shut. Itachi took no notice as he walked into the small kitchen. There was a table in the middle in front of a sink and counters.

"Hey! Let me down!" Sakura said as he reached the steps and began going up. She was getting butterflies in her stomach now, being so close to such a good looking man. She looked up at him, taking in Itachi's chiseled face and deep dark eyes. Sakura blushed a bit and looked down, not wanting to get caught ogling at the Uchiha.

Itachi kicked open a door to reveal a bedroom with one large bed in the center of the room. On the side was a desk, and other other side contained a walk-in closet.

He dropped her onto the bed in a heap. "Get dressed," he said. "We can't be seen in this country with shinobi clothes."

"Fine," Sakura snapped at him. His mouth curved up into a smirk as she glared at him. "Well? Leave, unless you want me to change in front of you?" she snapped at him from her spot on the bed.

Itachi walked back towards the door. He stopped and looked back at her, the smirk still on his mouth. "I wouldn't mind," he said.

Sakura blinked. He could practically see the steam rolling off of her as her anger peaked. "GET OUT!" she screeched at him as she threw a pillow as hard as she could at him.

Chuckling, Itachi closed the door, the pillow barely missing the top of his head as it sailed over him.

Sakura gritted her teeth, thinking of how nice it would be to punch the elder Uchiha in his smug face. She shook off these thoughts as she stood and made her way over to a closet on the other side of the room. She opened it to see a bunch of kimonos and yukta's in the closet. Sakura remembered what the old woman had said and took out one, shaking it out as she went. Sakura smiled as she saw it was a very light blue kimono, almost white, with cherry blossom branches along the bottom of it.

Sakura quickly put it on and tied the accompanying blue sash around her waist tightly. The kimono was a perfect fit on her. Sakura used an elastic from her pouch on the bed to tie up her short pink hair into a small ponytail.

After she was done she heard Itachi knock. "Come in," Sakura called.

Itachi opened the door. He surveyed her, his dark coal eyes looking her up and down. Sakura suddenly felt very conscientious about her appearance. Her hands almost came up to wrap themselves around her shoulders, trying to find some semblance of protection.

"Nami-san gave us food. Come down for dinner," he said to her.

"Sure," Sakura replied, following him down the stairs. A heavenly smell drifted up to meet her as she descended. Sakura's stomach emitted a loud growl, which caused Itachi to smirk at her. Sakura shot him a dirty look before sitting down at the table.

Itachi placed a plate of food before her and a glass of water. "If you continue this, those two will never believe we are a couple," he admonished her as he sat down opposite her at the small table.

"Don't worry about my acting abilities, _**dear**_," Sakura said with a smirk at the man opposite her.

Itachi smirked at her. "Watch it Uchiha, or I'll wipe that smirk of your face," Sakura snapped at him, a mischievous grin on her face.

Itachi's smirk widened. "I'd like to see you try," he goaded her.

Sakura bristled and backed down a bit. She chewed her food in silence and Itachi did the same.

After a few moments, Sakura spoke.

"I owe you a thanks," she said. "I would not be alive if you did not bring me here."

Itachi simply looked at her. "I also would also like to thank you," he said. "For healing me and saving me from that tower."

"It's nothing Uchiha-san," Sakura said. "You are my teammate for this mission, so therefore as a medic it is my responsibility to heal all those in my squad," she explained.

"Can I ask you something?" Itachi said.

"Depends on what it is," Sakura asked.

"How did you know Akoji?" Itachi asked.

Sakura smiled. She remembered Itachi was not in the room when Akoji told everyone about them being childhood friends. That was stretching it a bit, Sakura thought. She had not seen him after….

"_NO," _came the voice of Inner Sakura. _"Do NOT think about that now. Not with that hunk of an Uchiha sitting across from you,"_ she said.

"Not now inner," Sakura thought to herself. She focused back on Itachi, and thought about what to tell him. She couldn't tell him the whole truth, no way in hell.

"He was a childhood friend," Sakura said. She made sure to keep her face neutral and not act suspicious, hoping that Itachi would not poke his nose too closely into her childhood. Sakura hated lying, but she would if she had to.

"Hn," Itachi answered her. Sakura had a distinct feeling he did not totally believe her. "Why did you let him have sex with you?" he asked bluntly.

Sakura choked on her water for a second. She gasped for air and gave Itachi a piercing gaze. "What makes you think I had sex with him?" she asked suspiciously.

"I was surveying the tower when I saw you," he said.

"YOU PERVERT!" Sakura yelled at him, throwing him off guard. He had expected her to be remorseful, not angrily glaring daggers at him like she was doing now. She saw Itachi's eyes widen and, although his face remained neutral, she could see the shock clearly in his eyes.

Sakura smirked and decided to play with him. She crossed her arms and surveyed him carefully. "What don't tell me you're jealous Uchiha," she taunted him.

Itachi smirked back before answering. "Not in the slightest. I prefer women who do not have a washboard for a chest," he said simply, taking a sip of his tea.

"WHAT!" Sakura spluttered. "For your information, they are a C!" she snapped at him.

"Hn," Itachi said with his smirk still on his face. He watched her glare at him and inside, he enjoyed seeing her so riled up. He decided it was fun goading her.

"Oh don't give me that Uchiha!" Sakura snapped. "And for your information, Akoji would have killed the others if I had not taken action," she spat at him.

Itachi's eyes held hers, searching for any sign of deceit. Sakura felt her cheeks getting redder and redder as he continued to gaze at her. Finally she bent her head, her cheeks bright red. She hugged her arms around her shoulders, suddenly feeling very dirty and disgusting. She had let a man like Akoji touch her like that….

"I see…" Itachi said tersely. Sakura looked up, her sharp eyes picking up the subtle clenching of his jaw and the slight glare in his eyes. Years of training with Sasuke had taught her how to read an Uchiha like a book, even if they tried to hide it.

"Thank you for worrying about me Itachi, but I will be fine," she said softly.

Itachi's gaze softened a bit. They finished up their meal in a comfortable silence. Itachi was not much of a talker, and Sakura felt the exhaustion form beating her illness slowly becoming more and more present.

"I'm going to go take a nap," Sakura said as she pushed back her chair and stood. She smiled at him, "Thank you for the food Uchiha-san," she said politely as she took her dish over to the sink.

"Leave it," Itachi said suddenly.

"Huh?" Sakura said as she turned to look at him, a questioning look in her face.

"I'll do it," Itachi said. He could see her eyelids drooping and her eyebrows knitting in an attempt to stay awake by forcing herself to concentrate. He could see her hand shaking form exhaustion.

"Thanks," she said tiredly. He watched carefully as she walked to the steps, afraid that she might give out any moment. His sharp eyes caught the slight wavering of her leg under her kimono and the clenching of her fists in the sleeves of her kimono. Any lesser shinobi would not have notices, but Itachi's sharp eyes picked up every minute detail.

When she was out of sight, Itachi sighed and stood to clean up her dishes. He noticed that her dish was practically full, the food touched barely once.

He sighed and proceded to clean the rest of their meal off the table.

/

Sakura sat in the shower, the cold water raining down on her.

She felt it scorch her skin, the cold both numbing her and causing her sharp pinpricks of pain.

She closed her eyes as her skin became numb. She wanted the memories to go away. She wanted him to disappear.

She felt Akoji's hands against her skin and she pulled her legs tightly to her. Hot tears streamed down her face, warming her pale cheeks.

She had put up a façade in front of Itachi for days. She hardly ate at meals, instead just pushing the food around her plate. Her stomach could not take in anything, or it would just come back up again later. Sakura felt as if she had put up a good act, for Itachi hardly noticed there was anything wrong with her. Or maybe he didn't know her well enough to know what her normal behavior was like. Maybe he just didn't care about her at all.

Again, the memory of his body against hers made her stomach churn. She could not get that image out of her head. She felt dirty, and no matter how much water she bathed in, her skin still crawled like it was disgustingly dirty.

Her body had betrayed her.

Sakura didn't even hear Itachi's light footfalls as he opened the bathroom door.

She had been in there for long enough. Itachi had just come back from a long day in Tsubaki's fields and wanted a warm bath to relax. However, he heard the shower on and simply resigned to waiting for Sakura to get out, just like any polite man would do.

However, his patience was wearing thin as she stayed in the bathroom.

And stayed…..

And stayed…..

And stayed…..

Finally he had had enough. He heard that women took a long time in the bathroom but this was ridiculous. So he simply decided to take matters into his own hands.

He did not expect to find her sitting in the shower like a small child. She looked broken and weak. Itachi knew she should not be like this. She was a strong, respectable kunoichi and a beautiful woman. It pained him to see her large green eyes so empty and devoid of their usual spark.

"Sakura," he said. She turned to look at him.

"Sakura," he said again. She made no motion that she heard him.

Itachi knelt down near the edge of the tub and turned off the cold water. He noticed her lips had a slightly bluish tint to them and her body was shivering slightly. Her skin was deathly pale and the slight blush usually found on her cheeks was gone.

"Sakura, I will not let you get sick," he said. She simply looked at him.

Itachi sighed and put his arm under her legs, the other one cradling her back. He gently lifted her thin body out of the water and cradled her to his chest. She instinctively clutched at him as she buried her head into his chest, trying to stay warm.

He took her into the bedroom and set her down on the bed. She looked so broken, so fragile…..

He brought over a blanket and wrapped her in it. Itachi sat next to her and cradled the petit woman to his chest.

"Why?" he asked. One simple word was all he needed.

"I'm disgusting," she said in a small voice, so quiet Itachi could barely hear her.

"No, you are not," he said, tipping her head up to meet his onyx eyes. "You did what you had to in order to save your teammates."

"Then why do I feel so dirty?" she asked.

"Sakura, he will never touch you again," Itachi said. _I made sure of that_, he thought.

"I know," she said softly. "But I cannot get him out of my head."

"Let me help," Itachi said quietly. Sakura looked up at him, her eyes wide. He saw a flicker of surprise, a sign that her emotions were returning. He bent down his head, his lips gently ghosting across hers.

His lips met hers, gently brushing against them with a feathery touch. It was nothing like those other harsh kisses she had received.

Sakura felt him dip into her, his mouth pressing against hers. His tongue flicked against her lips, asking politely for entrance. She granted it, letting him slip the velvet appendage into her warm mouth.

She was so warm. He gently explored her mouth, coaxing her tongue to action. It gladly replied, and the kiss deepened. Itachi found himself fighting for dominance with her as he pulled her closer to him, practically crushing her small body against his large one. He heard her moan slightly in his arms as his tongue danced with hers.

She pulled back and looked up into his eyes, trying to read his expression.

Itachi sighed as he activated his sharingan. She looked at him in horror as his eyes began to swirl, the commas making her hazy.

Itachi used his sharingan to implant a memory suppressor on her. He conjured up all her memories of Akoji and what happened in that room and sealed them behind a wall in her mind. He would be the only one that knew what had happened between them. It was better this way.

He leaned back, cradling the young girl to his chest as he pulled the covers over them. Itachi felt his heart swell as he remembered killing Akoji. That man would never harm Sakura again, and his memory would only linger slightly in her head. He would be easily forgotten.

/

Sakura awoke to find she was naked. She looked down, wondering where her clothes were.

Sakura looked over and saw Itachi pulling a shirt over his head, his back to her.

"Uchiha…." She said groggily. "Where are my clothes?"

Itachi smirked. "You don't remember?" he asked.

"Remember what?" Sakura asked as she began to worry what had happened. Her memory was foggy as she sat up, hugging the sheets around her chest.

"Oh well. It must not have been that good if you do not remember," Itachi said with a smirk.

Sakura looked at him. She blinked, her mind frozen. He could practically see her putting two and two together.

"WHHHAAATTTT!" she screeched. "WHAT DID WE DO! WHAT DID WE DO ITACHI!" she shrieked at him.

"I'll just have to try harder next time," he said with a smirk as he walked out, leaving a stunned Sakura behind him.

"Oh, and next time keep the moaning to a minimum," Itachi said over his shoulder to her.

Sakura shrieked and threw a pillow as he closed the door chuckling.

/

Sakura hummed as she swept the room. Itachi was coming back in a few minutes from working in Tsubaki's fields. Sakura kept humming her tune as she swept under the bed.

Finished, she propped the broom against the door. She looked over and saw that Itachi's clothing drawer was open.

Curiosity got a hold of her as she decided to peek. She strained her ears for any signs of Itachi's silent footfalls.

When none were heard, she opened the drawer a bit more. Even after two weeks of living with Itachi, she still had not seen much of his personal belongings. He had hid his ninja pack away from her for some odd, unknown reason.

Sakura shifted though the sea of black. Black ANBU shirts, black pants, more black shirts…

God, did he wear anything except black?

Finally Sakura found his pouch and his kunai holsters. She smirked as she pulled them to the top and opened them. Inside were the usual kunai, shuriken and senbon needles. Sakura scowled as she looked deeper, trying to find some deep, dark, dirty secret.

She found a small photo beneath the weapons. Sakura instantly recognized a younger Itachi, a smile present on his face. He had a younger Sasuke on his shoulders, both of them smiling at the camera. Sakura felt her heart lighten as she saw the two brothers together.

She placed the photo on top of the dresser and searched deeper.

At last her eyes lit up as she found something.

Sakura's eyes widened in shock a she pulled out a very familiar orange book from the hidden inside pockets of Itachi's pouch.

"Sakura?" Itachi called from the doorway.

She turned around to look at him as she flipped through the pages of the orange book. She casually looked up at him, a huge grin on her face. She saw Itachi's eyes widen minutely in horror as they locked onto the book in her hands.

"HAH! I KNEW IT PERVERT!" she yelled at him, pointing an accusing finger at him. "I knew you were a perv but I did not think it was this bad! You're just as bad as Kakashi and Jiraya!" she yelled at him.

"Sakura, give that back," Itachi said calmly, trying to keep a straight face.

"Pervert! Pervert!" Sakura taunted him in a singsong voice, once again opening the book to read some.

Itachi lunged without warning, making Sakura screech in surprise. She dodged to the side, barely escaping Itachi's outstretched arm.

"Give it back," he growled as he spun towards her with blinding speed.

Sakura couldn't get away this time as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to his chest. Her back hit his chest hard as he flung her on the bed.

With an oomph, Itachi went with her momentum, falling on top of her. Both of them landed on the bed, Sakura's body under Itachi's. Sakura held the book out at arm's length away in a vain attempt to keep it away from Itachi.

Itachi reached out, his long arms reaching the book and plucking it out of her hands as she struggled beneath him.

"Sakura," he breathed into her ear, making her stop, sending a shiver up her spine. "Stop struggling," he said.

"Awww, you're a meanie," she said as he took the book away. She turned around to face him, noticing their faces were extremely close to each other. Sakura could feel his breath on her lips, ghosting over her face. His beautiful eyes bored into her own, the onyx depth holding her captive for the moment.

She gasped as she took in his beautiful face up close. His strong, masculine features were accented by the black bangs falling over his eyes.

"Hn," Itachi said as he got off of her, breaking the trance. For a split second Sakura considered making him stay. She shook that thought out of her head the moment it appeared. There was no way Itachi would go for her. He probably thought she was after him because he looked like Sasuke.

He pocketed the book, thinking he needed to find a better hiding spot for it. Itachi turned back to look at the vixen on the bed. She sat up, her kimono falling and giving him a good view of her ample cleavage. Her legs were spread slightly, making her look so tempting. He struggled to get a hold of himself as he looked at her, her pink hair tousled slightly.

"So why do you read those books?" she asked him curiously.

Itachi smirked as he looked back at her. "For the plotline," he said casually.

"LIAR!" Sakura called to him as he left the room.

/

Itachi walked in after a hard day of working. He surveyed the small kitchen and found dinner already cooked and on the stove, it just needed to be heated up. He smiled as he thought of Sakura working over the stove like an obedient housewife. He had a feeling she would punch him for that very though if she could.

He looked around and did not see his pink-headed roommate. He smiled, thinking of how natural it was to live with her for now. He enjoyed toying with her, and she played right back. Sakura never ceased to amuse him. She was just as predictable in her actions as she was unpredictable in her emotion. He enjoyed getting a rise out of her and seeing her turn as red as a tomato. All in all, he just plain enjoyed messing with her from time to time.

Not seeing her, Itachi went to the upstairs bathroom. He shut the door and pulled off his black shirt, preparing for a nice, hot shower.

As the water began running, he heard a small sound.

Sakura hummed to herself as she prepared for her shower. Itachi had yet to come home and she always liked to take a shower before him. He took for god damn ever in there, he was worse than Ino! Well, maybe that was exaggerating a bit.

Sakura walked in, humming a song. She did not notice the closed curtains or the steam in the bathroom.

She pulled open the shower curtains and stopped. Standing in front of her was a naked Itachi, water running down his body.

She was frozen in shock, like her brain had completely shut down. She looked up into his dark eyes, frozen. Slowly her eyes followed the beads of water down to his arched neck. She did not notice Itachi's shocked expression, or the high arc of his eyebrows. Tantalizingly slowly they went down to his well-toned chest, his thin frame holding a beautiful six pack. Slowly, she tried to stop, but her eyes shifted downwards….

"See something you like?" came his voice, deep and gruff. It snapped her out of her shocked state. Itachi smirked as he saw her face grow redder and redder as the blush extended all over her face.

She squeaked and covered her eyes. "Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" she said as she attempted to try and walk out with her hands over her eyes.

Itachi watched as her foot caught the rug, causing her to trip and fall on her face. He couldn't contain himself, and promptly burst out laughing at how clumsy the kunoichi could be sometimes. He had to put a hand out and support himself on the shower wall as the laughs came out.

Sakura looked up in mortification. Not only had she peeked on Itachi, but now she had made a fool of herself and he was laughing at her. She wanted to just burrow in the ground and never come out again after this incident.

Itachi smiled down at her, watching as she buried her head in her arms, completely mortified.

"If you want to stay, you're welcome to join me," he said with a smirk.

Sakura let out an eep and bolted from the bathroom. Itachi laughed again as bolted out of there as fast as her legs would carry her.

He finished up quickly and proceded to walk downstairs in only a pair of baggy sweatpants. He saw her look at him, her eyes raking over his chest, a glint of hunger in her eyes. He smirked as her eyes travelled lower, to where his pants hung dangerously low on his waist.

"Like something?" he teased her again as he dried his hair with the towel slung around his shoulders. He saw her blush fiercely before turning back to the stove. He smiled slightly, the corners of his lips turned slightly upwards. He had to admit, he definitely liked coming home to a hot meal every day. And Sakura's cooking was pretty good too…..

She put the food on the table, careful not to look at him. He smirked at her, noticing how she tried to hide the tiny looks she kept giving him. It made him feel good to know she was checking him out, and he felt his ego swell considerably. He had to be careful or he might become as bad as Sasuke.

He watched her eat, noticing she ate like a noble. Each time she used her chopsticks, it was clean and deliberate, never spilling anything and never making a sound. He had to wonder if her clan use to be a noble clan. From what Akoji had said Itachi presumed that she had come from the Stone.

They ate in silence, Sakura's face red as could be.

"So, how do I compare to the Hyuga brat?" he asked out of nowhere, hoping to get a rise from her, or at least to see her blush a bit.

He was rewarded when he saw her smirk back at him. "Don't get ahead of yourself Uchiha, I've seen better," she said with a smirk at him.

"Oh really?" he said, his eyebrows rose slightly.

"Well, Neji was definitely bigger than you," she said with a sly smile.

Itachi practically choked on his food. It took all of his concentration to keep a straight face, but by the way her smirk widened he could see she had noticed his momentary shock. She had an easier time reading him than others, he assumed simply because of all the years she had spent around Sasuke.

"Maybe sometime I could show you how _talented_ I am," he said slyly.

She smirked back. "Jealous a Hyuga might be better at something than an Uchiha?" she taunted.

In a flash he was behind her, his breath hot on her neck. It made her hair stand on end as his lips came within a hair's breadth of the sensitive skin on her neck. "I assure you, I am a million times better than that Hyuga brat," he hissed.

"Oh really?" Sakura barely managed to choke out.

"Hmmm, I could show you sometimes…" he whispered in her ear, his breath ghosting along the sensitive shell of her ear.

Sakura smirked. "I think I am good, Uchiha-san," she said with a smirk. "Now, if you excuse me," she said as she got up. Itachi watched her walk to the sink, admiring her from behind. The kimono did nothing for her ass, although he did notice it was a solid block of muscle. Not one jiggle in there, as far as he could tell.

Sakura looked over her shoulder and saw him checking her out. "See something you like?" she asked, taunting him.

"Hn," Itachi said as he just continued to stare.

Sakura sighed as she went back to the dishes.

/

Sakura was up and reading as he walked into the bedroom. She barely looked up as he walked in shirtless after his shower. After almost a month of living together, she had gotten use to his habits. For example, she knew he hiked sweets and tea mostly, but he would eat anything. Every night before bed he would sit and read for a bit.

Sakura smirked as she remembered the past month. They had gotten use to each other, and slowly were fitting into their pretend rolls. It was a nice break for her, and it felt more like a vacation to her than anything else.

She barely looked up as Itachi walked into the room. She smiled at him, but her smile faltered as she noticed his devious smirk. He had been more and more teasing and open as the moth went on. Sakura still did not know what to think about the mysterious ANBU captain.

He smirked as he saw her eyes follow him warily around the room as he went to his dresser. He decided to have some fun with her.

Itachi watched as he started to undo the drawstring on his pants. He saw Sakura's eyes follow his every move as she squeaked and covered her eyes.

"Uchiha-san!" she said. "What do you think you are doing?" she demanded.

"Hn," he said as he slid off his sweatpants revealing his black boxers.

He watched as she peeked out from between her hands. When she saw he was still a little bit covered, she moved her hands away from her eyes. He saw her smirk at him before getting up from the bed. He saw the fire in her eyes and realized that she was going to play his game.

He saw her saunter over to the other dresser and begin to untie her sleeping yukta. She looked over her shoulder to see him there, standing impassive. Or so it seemed, however Sakura knew how to read an Uchiha. It was all about the eyes, which she knew were practically burning a hole on her back.

Sakura smirked as she turned around, dropping the kimono off her shoulder as she went. "I hope you don't mind," she said with a smirk, "But I'm starting to feel a little hot in here."

She saw Itachi's eyes rake up and down her form. She was in a simple tank top and short shorts, both almost skin tight. It left nothing to the imagination as he surveyed her. Sakura smirked back as she turned her back to him.

Her heart pounded as she could feel the intensity of his gaze on her back. She slipped the black tank top over her head, pausing slightly as she did. Her keen shinobi ear picked up the sharp intake of breath as her tank slid slowly over her skin, and was dropped on the floor.

She began to reach behind her, and clasped the back of her black bra. She unclipped it, keeping her back to Itachi. As soon as it was off, she pulled another tank top from her drawer over her head, this time it was white.

As she turned her head back, she could see Itachi's obvious reaction. There was a twitch in his face that was not there before, and his jaw was clenched so tight she wondered how he did not break all of his teeth. She smirked at seeing how much she was affecting him.

He said nothing, just got into bed with his back to her.

Sakura smirked, knowing she had won this round.

Itachi lay in bed, trying to get his raging hormones under control. His body screamed to get up and finish their teasing. Every sensible part of his mind was working full force to control his body. He was so stupid; he berated himself, for trying to play this game.

It was a long time before he got any sleep.

/

"I sent a message to Konoha," Itachi said over breakfast on their second-to-last day on the farm.

"What did you say?" Sakura asked curiously as she took a bite of her apple, a book propped up against the table.

"I told them that we will meet them near the border in a few days' time," he said.

"I was thinking that we needed to go back soon," Sakura said softly. "Each day we stay here we risk being found. But how will we get back?" she asked.

"We will travel through the mountain range," Itachi said.

"Do you know if the Stone ANBU patrols that area?" Sakura asked.

"When I travelled here with you, I did not sense any Stone ANBU within many miles of our location," Itachi said.

"So as long as we stay away from populated areas, we will be fine," Sakura said.

"I believe so," Itachi said as he sipped the tea Sakura made for him.

"When do you want to leave?" she asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Itachi said.

Sakura sighed. "Well, this was a nice vacation while it lasted," she said wistfully.

"Hn," Itachi said.

"It would have been better without having to deal with a closet pervert," Sakura shot at him.

"I am not a pervert," Itachi said, flipping through his book without looking up at her.

"Oh really?" Sakura asked sarcastically.

He smirked. "I prefer women with at least some breasts after all," he said calmly.

Sakura turned red at his words. "THEY ARE A C CUP FOR THE LAST TIME!" she roared at him.

One of his eyebrows rose slightly. "Prove it," he challenged her.

Sakura ground her teeth, and Itachi smirked wider as he could almost visibly see the steam pouring out from her head. He enjoyed this almost a little too much.

"I'm not falling for that pervert," she said as she went back to reading her book.

"Your clan is form the Stone, right?" Itachi asked her.

"Yeah, but way north of here. Why?" she asked.

"If we run into ANBU, will they recognize you?" Itachi asked.

"Only if they had close relations to the clan," Sakura answered a little tersely. Itachi's sharp eye could pick out the tensing of her shoulders when her clan was mentioned. He had felt her more than once let her chakra sense around them, as if she was waiting for someone to attack at any moment.

Itachi decided to probe a bit deeper. "How old were you when you left?" he asked her.

"11" was the short answer he received.

"Hn," was his reply.

They stayed in silence for a few more minutes while they both finished their tea. Sakura stood, her chair scraping against the floor. Without a word she picked up both of their dishes before taking them to the sink. Itachi watched as she washed them, his eyes trained on her butt the whole time.

She finished, and before she could look back, his eyes were on his book.

Sakura smiled softly at him, making his heart flutter for a second. "I'll pack our things," she said as she walked back to their room.

/


	4. Chapter 4

Non-massacre ItaSaku

Chapter 4

Emi Haruno smiled to herself as she looked about Konoha early that morning. The streets were still sleepy and the residents of Konoha had yet to come out to begin their day. Emi hummed to herself as she swept the front steps to her tea shop.

She sighed as she looked up to the bright blue sky. One of her girls had called in sick, and Emi was sorely missing her young niece at that moment. Usually Sakura would fill in, however she was currently still out on a mission. Emi wished she would come home soon.

She opened the door, the little bell on top ringing slightly. Emi loved her tea shop, and was proud of the good business she did. It was her dream ever since she was a girl to have her own tea shop where she could be the boss.

Emi looked around, reveling in how lucky she was. Her family was safe, her niece would be home soon, and it was a beautiful day outside.

However, something felt wrong to the ex-Iwa nin.

Emi didn't have Midori's ability to see the future, but she had a certain sense when things were about to go horribly wrong. The last time she had this pit in her stomach, the Third Great Ninja War broke out. Emi hoped this time it would not be something that catastrophic.

The bell twinkled and Emi looked over at it. Haru came in, a smile on his lips. "Hey Aunt Emi, how are you?" he asked.

"I'm fine Haru," Emi answered. "I hope Sakura gets back soon though, one of my girls cancelled and I can't call her to come in."

"I'm sure she will be home soon," Haru said gently.

"I know, I just hope she didn't have to go back to Iwa. You know how I feel about her going back there," Emi said.

"I know," AHru sighed. "But Sakura is a shinobi,a nd she will go wherever her missions take her."

"Yes, I know," Emi sighed. "I just have a bad feeling about today."

Haru smiled and went back to teh kitchen. He was one of the main cooks that Emi had, and he worked for her most of the day. Emi felt bad for her nephew, he worked so hard to support himself and Midori. Haru easily worked three, sometimes even four jobs. It was hard, but Emi knew he would never take any sympathy ir charity from her. He was simply not that kind of person.

Slowly the day continued as the residents of Konoha awoke for the day. Soon the rest of the waitresses had come in, except for the sick one, and customers started to pour in. Emi sat back and watched her business flourish.

However, towards the middle of the day two ANBU walked into her restaurant.

A dead silence fell as the two fully-clad ANBU members walked through Emi's door, the small bell twinkling merrily. Emi looked up from the table in the back of the restaurant, where she was doing paperwork. Across from her sat a small boy, not more than 11 years old, with a head of deep red spiky hair. The boy seemed lost in his own world, his feet swinging beneath him as he drew in a large sketchbook, with a dry erase board next to him.

The ANBU walked over to Emi's table, the curious eyes of the customers following their every movement.

They stopped before Emi's table. Emi looked up, not in the least bit surprised to see two ANBU in her shop.

"Good day gentlemen, what can I do for you?" she asked pleasantly.

"Hokage-sama wants to see you immediately," one said.

Emi instantly knew it was about Sakura. Her eyes widened slightly as the pit in her stomach grew, fear now starting to make its way into her head.

However, Emi set her face hard as stone. She stood, the scraping of the chair resounding loudly in the quiet restaurant.

"Kai, come with me," she said to the boy sitting across from her. The boy nodded before picking up his sketchpad and board. "Haru, you're in charge," Emi called into the kitchen. "I'm stepping out for a bit."

She turned to the ANBU. "Lead the way, ANBU-san," she said, her stoic mask in place. Beside her, the young boy smiled, a cheerful expression in his face. He wore a simple kimono like Haru's but a light blue. Around his neck was a green scarf, the ends trailing behind him, clashing greatly with his deep red hair.

In no time they arrived at the Hokage's tower. Emi followed the ANBU up into the tower, letting them lead her to where Tsunade sat behind her large desk.

Emi noticed two things first. Number one, there was a man and a woman with long, black hair sitting in front of Tsunade's desk. Both looked solem, however the woman had a round, kind face with chocholate eyes. The man had a hard face, as a shinobi who has seen many wars might have. His back was straight as a poker and his face was turned upward. Instantly Emi knew he was some big shot clan head, who was definitely too stuck up for his own good.

The second thing Emi noticed were Naruto, Sasuke, Inuzuka Kiba, and Hyuga Neji standing behind the Hokage, each of their faces solemn and grim. Emi's eyes locked onto ANruto, sho wore not trademark goofy smile. Instead, Emi saw his eyes downcast and blurry, threatening to break out into tears.

Emi sat in front of the Hokage, next to the man and the woman. Kai scrambled up into the seat next to her, his sketchbook and board securely in his lap.

Tsunade looked at the four gathered before her, her eyes hard. However, Emi knew enough to see that like Naruto, the tears were threatening to spill.

"Please state your names," Tsunade said.

"Fugaku Uchiha and Mikoto Uchiha," the man said before Emi could open her mouth.

"Emi Haruno and Kai Haruno," Emi said. Beside her, she saw Kai's face had gone hard, his usual smile gone. Instead he was practically glaring at the Hokage and the ninja next to her, as if he almost knew what was coming.

"I am sorry to inform you both that Itachi Uchiha and Sakura Haruno died on their last mission," Tsunade said.

Emi felt the coldness hit her. Her body remained frozen, her mouth hanging slightly open. She felt the pit in her stomach turn to ice, chilling the rest of her body. There was no way….. There was definitely a mistake…..

"They were on a mission to Iwagakure," Tsunade continued.

Beside her, Emi could see the woman sobbing silently into her husband's shoulder. The man, Fugaku, was the same, his face set in stone, showing no emotions.

"Are you sure?" Emi asked Tsunade. "There must be some mistake….."

"I am sorry Haruno-sama, but Sakura is dead," Neji said stiffly.

"Then where is her body?" Emi challenged him. Something did not sit right to her.

"It was lost when the tower collapsed aaround her," Naruto said quietly.

Kai taped Emi's arm lightly. Emi looked down and saw that Kai had taken out his dry erase board and held it up to face the shinobi.

"_Did you actually see her die?"_ he had written.

"Well, no but…." Neji started to say, before Kai erased the question and quickly scribbled something else.

"_Then you have no body and you did not see either one of them die, am I correct?"_ Kai wrote, so fast that Neji hardly had time to finish his statement.

"Well, yes, but…."

"_So if you did not see her, then it is entirely plausible that Sakura, and Uchiha-san are still alive."_ Kai wrote.

"There is no way they could have survived the tower falling on them, if that is what you mean," Sasuke snapped at him.

"_Why do you all give up hope so easily? Don't you trust Sakura?"_ Kai wrote.

"Of course we do!" Kiba said indignantly. "But we saw what happened, and there was no way either one of them survived!"

"_I do not believe for a second that Sakura is dead."_ Kai wrote.

"I agree with Kai," Emi said. "If there is no proof, then we will continue to hope for the best," Emi said.

"I'm telling you, Sakura is…" Sasuke began.

Kai stood suddenly, his eyes blazing. _"Don't you dare underestimate her!"_ he held up to Sasuke.

"Kai," Emi said sharply. "Sit down."

Kai continued to glare at Sasuke as he sat back down.

"Look, I want to believe that Sakura is still alive just like you," Tsunade said. "However, the facts speak otherwise. Sakura and Itachi have been reported dead, and we will keep it that way. Now, both of these shinobi have made wills that are kept in the Hokage Tower. I know this is a lot to take in, so we can do the reading of the wills in two weeks, all right?" Tsunade said kindly.

"Of course," Emi said sharply, knowing she would not get anywhere with these people. "Come on Kai, we have to get back to the shop."

"Disgraceful," Fugaku said as Emi turned to leave.

"Excuse me?" Emi said, her temper slowly rising. Her usually large amount of patience was wearing incredibly thin at that moment. Beside her, Kai turned to glare at the Uchiha head.

"It is disgraceful that you will not simply accept the facts. Hope is for the innocent, and has no place in the shinobi world," Fugaku said as his eyes raked over Emi and Kai, a look of disgust appearing on his incredibly stoic façade.

Emi just about had enough. She contemplated fighting him, pummeling him to the ground. She closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself to a reasonable level.

"It will take more than a falling building to kill a Haruno, that's for damn sure," Emi said heatedly as she whipped around to glare at the infuriating man.

"Hn" Fugaku scoffed at her.

However, Emi simply laughed. "So you are the high and mighty Uchiha Head. Well, in my experience, the high and mighty shinobi clans are the ones who only make it a few generations before disbanding. I suggest you be wary, Uchiha," Emi sneered right back at him.

"What do you know, you civilian?" Fugaku snapped at her, starting to lose his temper.

"I know a lot more than you, that's for damn sure!" Emi roared as she stood to glare down at Fugaku. "You didn't even fight in the Third War! Don't lie, I heard all about how the Uchiha head stayed home, out of danger while the branch members were sent into war!"

"How do you know that?" Fugaku asked, his voice as cold as ice. "You didn't fight in the war."

Emi laughed again. "Come on Kai, I've had enough of these ignorant fools," Emi said with a smile. Kai nodded, and with one last glare at the room, he slid off his chair and followed Emi as she walked to the door.

"Hey Emi!" Naruto called.

Emi looked back at the blonde kninja, her eyes a little bit softer. "Yes Naruto?" she said.

"Can I come by the shop later?" he asked.

"Of course Naruto. You are welcome any time," Emi said with a smile as she walked out.

"_Ridiculous,"_ Kai wrote as they left the building. _"If Sakura was dead, Midori would have seen it ages ago and reported it to us."_

"I agree. We need to try and get in touch with Sakura. I know it is a risk, especially with her in Iwa, but we have no choice," Emi said.

"_No, we can't risk the signal being intercepted. It might tip them off that she is stuck in Iwa, and then the main branch will send a battalion against her."_ Kai said.

Emi sighed. "I don't like just waiting for her to return, especially because of where she is."

"_I agree. If the Hokage sends out a rescue team, we need to have at least one HAruno on it."_ Kai wrote.

Emi nodded her head. "I'll go myself. I refuse to lose Sakura, she is the last bit of Jurri that I have left," Emi said sadly.

"_Aunt Emi, who will take over the clan now that Sakura is gone?"_ Kai asked.

"I do not know Kai. If Sakura left a will, then she must have named her successor in it," Emi replied.

"_That'll be a headache,"_ Kai wrote.

"I know, you're telling me. But I have an inkling of what is written in Sakura's will," Emi said with a grin.

"_Whatever. You know there is going to be a lot of fighting over this, right?"_ Kai asked.

Emi smiled as they reached her tea shop. "Kai, I trust Sakura," Emi said with a smile as she entered her shop.

/

Mikoto was beside herself. She had tried to put up a strong front in front of her husband, but she was breaking down. She lost her son, her child….

She sat at her kitchen table, a picture of Itachi in front of her when he was a young ANBU, Sasuke on his back. Both of them were smiling slightly, happily lost in their own little world. If only they could all return to those untroubled times.

Life was just not fair, Mikoto decided as she sobbed her heart out in her kitchen. She had lost her best friend many years ago, and her parents many years before that, but nothing, absolutely nothing, could have prepared her for the pain of losing her oldest son.

The tears hit the table, the soft plinks the only sound in the house. Her back shook with the silent sobs that wracked her petit frame.

Mikoto heard a knock on the door. She rubbed her eyes, not wanting anyone to see a hint of weakness in her. She would be strong, if only for her youngest.

"I'm coming," Mikoto called as she pushed back her chair. She walked slowly to the door, making sure her eyes were dry and her kimono was straight before opening the door to her home,

Outside was a sight Mikoto did not expect. A woman with short, choppy brown hair that came down to her collar, and deep brown eyes stood outside her door, wearing a simple gray kimono and overcoat. The woman smiled to her, a large, ornately wrapped basket in hand. Mikoto instantly recognized her as related to the girl that had died on the same mission with her son. The woman had refused to believe the girl… whatever her name was…. Was dead. Mikot wondered why she was there, Fugaku had certainly acted rude to her in the meeting.

"Hello, I know we have not met but my name is Haruno Emi. I have a gift for you," Emi said as she held out the basket to Mikoto.

Mikoto looked at the woman, her mouth slightly agape. This was not expected, not in the least.

The woman, Emi, smiled hesitantly at her, the basket outstretched. "It's tea," she said hesitantly, bringing Mikoto back down to earth.

"Thank you," Mikoto said graciously, taking the basket from the strange woman. "Please come in," Mikot said politely.

"I believe I will, if you do not mind the company," Emi said happily as she crossed the threshold into the traditional Japanese-styled house. Mikot noticed Emi take off her sandals before slipping into the guest slippers left near the door.

Mikoto walked back into the kitchen, Emi following her. Without a word Emi sat down at the table, her eyes glancing over at Mikoto, a smile on her face.

Mikoto put the basket down on the counter. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"I am sorry for what you are going through," Emi said plainly as Mikoto filled a teapot and set it on the stove. "Try the dragonfruit lychee , it's delicious," Emi advised.

"Thank you. I am sure you are also in the same position as I am, having lost your daughter as well," Mikoto said to Emi as she sat back down across from the Haruno woman. Emi looked at her, a cheery smile on her face the whole time.

"Oh no!" Emi said, waving her hands. "Sakura is not my daughter, she is my niece," Emi said.

"Oh, I see," Mikoto said uncertainly. "Then why were her parents not at that meeting. Were they working?" she asked.

"Oh no, my sister and her husband died many years ago," Emi said softly, her eyes shining softly. Mikoto could see with her sharp Uchiha eyes that Emi's eyes held sadness, and a longing feeling buried beneath their warm brown depths.

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that," Mikoto said.

"Do not be sorry," Emi said with a kind smile. "But I understand well. Sakura is the only connection I have left to my younger sister."

"I see," Mikoto said.

Emi picked up the picture on the table. "Is this your son?" she asked.

"Yes, that is Itachi," Mikoto said, the tears threatening to spill again as she busied herself making the tea.

"he is a handsome young man. I am sure you have to beat the women off of him," Emi said with a smile.

Mikoto smiled back. "He is not as bad as Sasuke. Itachi is more reserved," she said.

"Tell me about him?" Emi asked.

Mikoto smiled. "He was always a quiet child, very soft spoken. He always thinks carefully before he decides anything. Also, he was a child genius, achieving ANBU rank at 13," Mikoto said, her chest swelling with pride as she talked about her son.

"He sounds like a wonderful man," Emi said.

"Would you tell me about your niece?" Mikoto asked shyly as the tea kettle started ringing.

Mikoto stood and turned off the stove as her youngest son walked in. Sasuke surveyed Emi, a mask of indifference on his face. "Is the tea ready?" he asked in a bored voice.

"Yes," Mikoto said as she opened the bown on the gift basket. She extracted three packets of tea and put them inside three mugs before pouring the boiling water in. Mikoto returned to the table to see Sasuke sitting next to Emi, waiting for his tea.

Mikoto placed the cups on the table before sitting back down.

She and Sasuke watched Emi take a sip of her tea before opening her mouth to speak. "Sakura was always a happy child, however I did not see much of her until we moved to Konoha," Emi said. "She lived with me for a few years before moving out when she obtained a Chunin status about three years ago," Emi said.

"Why didn't you see her much as a child?" Sasuke asked.

"Sasuke! It is rude to poke into the private lives of others," Mikoto scolded him.

"It is okay, Uchiha-san," Emi said with a smile. "Sasuke-san, things were different back then. Sakura lived in the Main Branch house, so I hardly ever saw her for many years," Emi explained carefully, without giving away too much information about her clan.

"Oh, I see," Sasuke said.

"Yes, well, I remember she was always a very good fighter and an excellent kunoichi," Emi continued. "I miss her very much."

"Do you really believe she is alive?" Mikoto asked, hope clearly evident in her voice.

"Mother, it is not possible," Sasuke said softly.

"Sasuke-san, let me tell you an old Haruno story," Emi said with a smile. "One day a shinobi and a Haruno were walking down the same road. They came to a large stone that was blocking their path. The shinobi attempted a jutsu that did little to the stone. However, the Haruno took out his blade and easily sliced the stone in half, letting the travelers be on their way. 'Amazing!' the shinobi exclaimed. 'That' the Haruno said, 'was nothing. I have seen a Haruno move mountains, raise the dead, and tame demons of impossible power. A Haruno with a goal is an unstoppable force.'" Emi said. She smiled at Sasuke, "I believe Sakura is still out there, simply because she is a Haruno. Nothing can take one of us down," Emi said proudly.

Mikoto smiled at her as he took a sip of his tea. "You sound so confident, Haruno-san," she said softly.

"Uchiha-san, is your son a strong shinobi?" Emi asked.

"He's the best in the village!" Sasuke said proudly.

"Then have more faith in him. If he is as strong as you believe, he will return, as will Sakura," Emi said serenely.

Sasuke swigged the last of his tea. "I'm going out," he said as he left the table.

"Uchiha-san," Emi began.

"Please call me Mikoto," Mikoto interrupted her.

"Only if you call me Emi," Emi replied.

Mikoto smiled at her. "Of course," she said.

Emi smiled right back at her. She saw the pain in Mikoto, the utter despair at losing her child. The worse pain in the world would not even reach Mikoto now. Emi knew that pain well, it was the same pain Emi felt rip through her body at the thought of losing another one of her daughters. She had lost her eldest, and would never, ever, let anyone bear that kind of pain alone if she could help it. "Mikoto-san, if you promise to keep this a secret, I will tell you why I know they are alive," she said.

"What?" Mikoto asked, shocked.

"Do you promise?" Emi asked.

"Yes!" Mikoto said quickly. "Yes I do!"

"Even from your husband and son? Even from the Hokage herself?" Emi asked.

"Yes! Please, I will do anything!" Mikoto pleaded.

"Well, we Haruno's have a special way of communicating, it is part of our kekkei genkai," Emi explained. "We can communicate with each other across impossible distances and we can send messages through our minds. We had one of our own try and contact Sakura. They made contact yesterday. The two of them are alive; however your son was in critical condition. Sakura healed him and that was the last we heard form her," Emi told Mikoto.

"Itachi… he is alive? Are you sure?" Mikoto asked sharply.

"I am positive," Emi said. "However, you are sworn to secrecy, got it?"

"Of course! I will never tell a single soul!" Mikoto promised, her face filled with light. Her smile was back full force, and any tears were long forgotten. Her son was alive, and he would come back to her soon….. Mikoto never remembered being so happy in her whole life.

"For now, go through the motions of mourning. It is impossible to get through to these ninjas. They are all dunderheaded fools," Emi said as she took another sip of her tea.

Mikoto laughed. "They are not all bad. Is your family a ninja family? I was under the impression that the Haruno's are a civilian family," Mikoto asked.

"We use to be a ninja clan, however when we moved to Konoha, most of us gave up the ninja life to live as civilians," Emi explained.

"Oh, that's nice," Mikoto said. "Where are you from?"

"Iwa," Emi answered shortly. Mikoto got the impression Emi did not want to talk about her old home. Mikoto's respect for the woman had grown exponentially, and she did not want to offend her. Mikoto simply dropped the subject, but made sure to file the information away in her mind for use later.

Mikoto continued to sip her tea, which she must admit was incredibly tasty. Even the sound of her grumpy husband walking in could not spoil her good mood.

"Who is this?" came the ice cold voice of Fugaku Uchiha as he entered his house to find a strange woman sitting at his table, drinking tea with his wife.

"This is Haruno Emi. She came to offer her condolences about Itachi…" Mikoto said, careful to keep the happy smile off her face. She remembered she was supposed to look sad, after losing her first son so suddenly on a mission.

"Hn," was the answer Mikoto got.

Emi stood. "It was nice talking to you Mikoto-san," she said. "But I must get back to my tea shop."

Mikoto stood. "Thank you for the tea basket Emi-san," she said.

"If you ever need anything, come by to the shop," Emi said as she tuned to leave. "You and your family are welcome anytime," she said with a smile at Fugaku. Emi remembered her mother telling her that grudges were for the weak shinobi, so Emi bore no grudges. She was stronger than that.

"Hn," was Fugaku's answer.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Mikoto was out the next day, trying to shop for groceries. She was carrying five, maybe six large, brown bags while trying to jostle her list of what she needed. Mikoto sighed, normally Itachi would help her with this, but with him gone, she was stuck by herself. Unlike his brother, Sasuke never bothered to help her and Fugaku was worse than useless in these situations.

The streets of Konoha were very crowded that day, as Mikoto made her way thoguth the throngs of people. She was having a hard time seeing where she was going, since the bags in her arms were blocking her view of the street in front of her.

Mikoto sighed, she had a feeling this was going to be a long day.

She did not see the pothole in front of her on the road.

"EEEAAAHHHHH!" Mikoto yelled as she caught her foot, the groceries spilling out of the bags and onto the street.

She stayed on the gorund for a second before slowly pulling herself up. Mikoto inwardly groaned when she saw all of her groceries scattered into the street. Fugaku was definitely not going to be too happy about this incident…..

"Do you need a hand?" a young man asked, holding out a hand to her. He wore a kind smile, his brown shaggy hair hanging lazily around his face. Mikoto noticed he wore a simple dark green kimono and a gray overcoat. The young man looked to be only a few years older than Sasuke, maybe somewhere around Itachi's age.

"Yes, thank you," Mikoto said as she took the outstretched man's hand. She noticed instantly it was rough and calloused, the sign of a hard worker. "What is your name?" she asked once she was standing back up, letting go of the young man's hand.

He smiled. "My name is Haruno Haru," he said.

"Oh! You are Emi's relative?" Mikoto asked him.

He laughed. "Yeah, Emi is my aunt," he said. "Let me help you with your groceries," he said as he bent down to pick up the fallen food. He and Mikoto managed to get most of the packaged food back into the paper bags, the fruit and vegetables mostly intact.

"I'll help," Haru said, taking most of the bags out of Mikoto's hands.

"Oh, there is no need!" Mikoto said quickly.

"It's fine," Haru said with a smile as the brown bags almost obstructed his vision. "Shall we go then?" he said as he began to walk away.

Mikoto hurried to catch up with the young man. "Well, if you are sure…." She said hesitantly.

"It is nothing, Uchiha-san. Emi speaks highly of you," Haru said as they began walking towards the Uchiha Compound.

"Oh really?" Mikoto asked. "She is a very kind lady."

Haru smiled. "She sure is," he said.

"How old are you Haruno-san?" Mikoto asked him.

"I am 21," Haru answered her.

"So how is Emi doing?" Mikoto asked. "I have not seen her since she gave us that nice tea basket."

"Emi is fine. She is still trying to get use to Sakura being gone," Haru said. "Her daughters are taking it pretty hard."

"I had no idea she had any children," Mikoto said in shock.

"She has one daughter who is 14 and another that is 7," Haru said. "How are you doing Uchiha-san?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"I am good. It is harder now without my oldest son. He used to help me with these type of thinigs when he was not on a mission," Mikoto said.

"Ah, he was on the same team as Sakura, am I correct?" Haru asked.

"Yes he was," Mikoto answered.

"I am sorry to hear of your loss," Haru said.

"Thank you," Mikoto said. "And same to you, I'm sorry about your…."

"Cousin," Haru supplied.

"Right. You're cousin's death as well," Mikoto said.

Haru smiled. "If I know Sakura as well as I think I do, I am sure that any day now she will come through those gates and pound all her friends into the ground for thinking she was dead," Haru said. "I am sure nothing will ever take her down."

Mikoto smiled wistfully. "I wish I could have the same confidence," she said.

"Hey Haru!" came a loud call from the distance. Mikoto saw a large man come towards them. He was a good six feet tall, maybe taller, with gorilla arms and a wide body. His muscles strained against his plain green shirt, making him look like a hulking body builder. However, the man'f face held the same smile as Haru's did.

He looked down at the two of them. "Well, hello there miss," he said to Mikoto.

"Hey Takashi, where's your better half?" Haru asked the man.

The man, Takashi, let out a loud laugh. A woman appeared form behind him, her long light blue hair tied up into a ponytail on the back of her head. She wore tight black pants that went down to her ankles, and a flowing teal shirt that went down to her hips. The top of the shirt was a Chinese-style neck, with three black buttons holding it together. There were no sleeves, shoing off the woman's toned arms.

They looked odd standing together, because the woman was very small. She was maybe five feet tall, and very thin, which contradted the man's huge frame.

"Ah, Haru, what'cha got here?" the woman asked him.

"Uchiha-san dropped her groceries and I was simply helping her carry them home," he said. He turned to Mikoto. "This is Takashi and Komurei Haruno," Haru introduced the two.

"Here, let me take those," Takashi said as he lifted the bags out of Haru's hands.

"Oh there is no need!" Mikoto said quickly.

"It's no problem," Komurei said as she grabbed a bag from Mikoto. "We are happy to help."

"Well where are we taking these bad boys?" Takashi asked as the four of them continued down the street.

"The Uchiha Compound," Mikoto said.

Takashi whistled. "Never been in there," he said. "Well, first time for everything," he said with a smile.

"So how is the old man holding up?" Haru asked.

"Heh, he's pretty pissed. Not liking Emi taking control after Sakura's disappearance," Takashi said.

"Do you know who Sakura named as her successor?" Komurei asked Haru.

"I have no clue, but we will find out in a few days," Haru said. "We are doing a reading of the will."

"Man, that will get ugly fast," Takashi said. "Many of the other branches are tired of your branch having so much control. They want to have some power."

"It'll be an all out brawl," Komurei said. She turned to Mikoto, "Are you having the same issues with Itachi's will, Uchiha-san?" she asked.

"Well, no," Mikoto said. "Itachi was the heir, but now he is gone the title will simply move to my youngest, Sasuke," Mikoto said. "All that is left is a few possessions."

"Ah, I see," Takashi said. "Must be nice."

"So how's Midori doing?" Komurei asked Haru.

"'She's fine, she's trying to get ready for the spring festival in another month," Haru said.

"You heard Danzo wants to try and stop the spring festival?" Haru said

"Yeah, can you believe that? After everything Sakura and Aoi did for that snake! Man, he has had it in for us refugees since the day we stepped foot in the Land of Fire," Komurei said with a huff.

"Yeah! He was the one that proposed the ban on refugees becoming shinobi! What bullshit was that? I mean, seriously Emi could have been a huge addition to the shinobi forces, I mena, she was a huge force to be reckoned with during the Third War," Takashi said.

"Takashi, not here," Komurei snapped at him, giving Mikoto a sidelong glance.

"Oh yeah, sorry. Must've slipped," Takashi said bashfully.

"I was not aware Emi was a ninja. What rank did she hold back in Iwa?" Mikoto asked curiously.

The Haruno's exchanged glances. "You'll have to ask Emi, I forget," Takashi said with a goofy grin on his face.

"She fought in the Third Great Ninja War," Mikoto said. "I had no idea, she seems like a regular civilian."

"Yeah, we adapted well," Komurei said.

"Oh here we are," Mikoto said. The guards looked at them, giving the Haruno's a cursory glare before bowing to Mikoto. Mikoto saw the Haruno's barely even bat an eye at the guard's hostility. They just smiled serenely as they walked thought the large doors.

Mikoto led them through the Uchiha Compound, ignoring the odd looks her little group got. It was rare that other shinobi came into the compound, let alone civilians. Civilians generally feared the shinobi, and as a rule looked down on them for their way of life.

Mikoto led them to her house, which was the biggest in the Compound. She saw the Haruno's look around fearfully as they entered her house.

"Wow, talk about déjà vu," Komurei said.

"Yeah, this place is almost exactly like the village," Takashi whispered. "Just smaller."

"We'll talk about this later," Haru said quietly.

Mikoto led them into the kitchen, where she set her bag on the table. Fugaku was sittign there, drinking his afternoon tea as he read through the latest reports form the Konoha Military Police Force. Sasuke was sitting next to him, drinking tea as well.

He looked up as the small group entered. "Who are they?" he asked, his voice cold as usual.

"Oh, these are the Haruno's. I had tripped with the groceries and they offered to help me carry them home," Mikoto said.

"Hn," was the answer she got.

Takashi laughed loudly as he walked over to Fugaku. He hit his back in a rowdy, friendly sort of way, however Mikoto and Sasuke were both in shock. No one had ever done anything like that before, and lived to tell the tale.

"No need to be a stranger Uchiha!" Takashi laughed as Fugaku coughed and spluttered.

Sasuke just stared as the Haruno's took a seat around the table. "This is a very nice house you have here Uchiha-san," Haru said politely.

"Thank you," Mikoto said. "Where do you live AHru?" she asked.

Haru smiled. "My younger sister and I live above Emi's shop. Emi owns the whole building and rents to us," Haru said.

"Wow, that is very nice of her," Mikoto said.

"Yeah, I know. Emi is really a nice lady," Haru said.

"The tea you gave us was really good," Sasuke said sullenly.

Haru smiled at him. "Thanks, I'll make sure to tell Emi. So how is Team 7 doing?" Haru asked him.

"Good," came the short reply. Sasuke sighed. "Naruto is still depressed about Sakura and we hardly ever train," Sasuke said quietly.

"Ah, I see," Takashi said. "No worries kid, everything will work out eventually."

"How can you be so sure?" Sasuke asked him sarcastically.

"Well, we just have this kind of sixth sense about these things," Takashi said with a look at his wife. Komurei smiled, as if the two of them just shared an inside joke.

"Well, we must be heading back," Haru said. "We will see you at the will reading then?" he asked the Uchihas.

"Of course," Mikoto said.

"Are all of you going?" Fugaku asked rudely.

"Fugaku!" Mikoto snapped. "Be nicer to our guests!"

"Yes, we will be there," Komurei said with a smile.

"The whole clan will be there," Takashi added in.

"Why the whole clan?" Sasuke asked him.

"Well kid, Sakura was the head of the clan. We all want to be there, because in her will she names her successor, just in case," Takashi explained.

"Like I said, its going to be an all out brawl," Komurei said. "I can't wait, it's going to be like Anagnikai all over again," she said with a smile.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, that was a very nice chat, but we have to get going," Haru said with a friendly wave. "See you then!" he said as the Haruno's made a hasty exit.

"They are so weird," Sasuke said when they left.

/

Fugaku was never surprised. He was stoic, put together, and never lost control of his façade. Howeve,r when he walked into the Hokage's office and saw the amount of people sitting there, his jaw almost dropped. Beside him, Mikoto gasped and Sasuke's mouth fell open.

There were at least 50, maybe more people, crammed into the Hokage's office. A few were chatting with each other, however, Fugaku instantly noticed they made four distinct groups. Each group was clustred together, their members chatting with each other.

"Hey teme!" came the loud voice of ANruto, ringing over the din. He was in the fifth group, which was in the middle of the room.

Sasuke and his family walked over to them. Kakashi, Sai, and Ino were also there, along with Emi and Haru. Emi smiled at Mikoto. "It's good to see you Mikoto, how are you doing?" she asked as Sasuke joined the other shinobi in the room. Fugaku chose to remain silent, standing next to his wife.

"I am fine, thank you," Mikoto said. "I did not expect this many people here," she said, shock and awe evident in her voice.

"Well, the others were working and couldn't come," Emi said dismissively. "I have someone I would like you to meet," Emi said as she grabbed the arm of an older man standing near her. He was taller than Emi, and had broad shoulders and wore a simple brown kimono much like Haru's. His short, cropped hair was a dark green and his eyes were a bright golden color. He smield kindly at the Uchiha's before extending his hand.

"I am Haruno Jiro, Emi's husband," he said.

"Oh!" Mikoto exclaimed. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Uchiha Mikoto and this is my husband Uchiha Fugaku," she said as she shook his hand.

A young girl came over to them. Her super curly blonde hair was up in pigtails, and her kimono was a deep red with an even darker obi. tHe tie of her obi was a bright white, and a white swirl patten littered the bottom of her kimono. She was pulling over Haru, who smiled at the Uchiha family.

"Haru, why didn't you tell me you knew the Uchiha family?" she asked him, glaring up at him.

"He he, sorry Midori," Haru said.

"Hi, I'm Haruno Midori," she said, her bright blue eyes boring into Fugaku's dark coal ones. "It is nice to meet you."

"Well, hello there," Mikoto said as she bent down to speak to the cute girl. "It is nice to meet you Midori."

"Why thank you," Midori said politely. She looked up at Fugaku, a look of curiosity on her face. "Well," she said, releasing Haru and stepping around Mikoto. "It is nice to finally meet the head of the Uchiha clan," she said with a smile. "I have a feeling we will be working together a lot in the future," she said.

"Hn," was Fugaku's answer.

"Oh, and by the way, don't bring those mission reports to the office tomorrow, it's going to rain and will ruin them," Midori said as she walked back to Haru.

"Excuse me?" Fugaku said, glaring at the young girl. How did she know he had mission reports to bring to the office tomorrow?

She smiled. "Like I said, nice to meet you Uchiha-san," she said as she skipped over to a small group of children away form them.

"Sorry about Midori," Haru said. "She is a little odd sometimes," he explained.

"How did she know I had mission reports to bring in tomorrow?" Fugaku demaded.

"Well, you see…" Haru started to say.

"Oh HARU!" Ino squealed as she ran over to him, interrupting his sentence. "You just have to come over and talk with us!" she said as she pulled him away form Emi and the Uchihas.

Inwardly Emi sighed in relief. They had avoided that bullet. Emi made a mental note to have a talk with Midori about sprouting out her visions to outsiders so much. It definitely created problems for the clan, that was for sure.

"All right everyone settle down!" came the booming voice of Tsunade. She walked over to her desk and sat down, surveying the room.

"We will start with The Last Will and Testament of Uchiha Itachi," she said, opening up one of the scrolls on her desk.

A resounding groan was heard throughout the room from all the Haruno members. "Oh shut up and let the Hokage speak!" came the shrill voice of Midori from the side of the room. In an instant, all the chatter ceased, and the room was deathly silent. None of the Haruno clansmen moves a muscle, and each was as still as a shinobi on a mission. Fugaku almost raised his eyebrows in surprise, he had not realized that civilians like these knew how to be as silent as any shinobi.

"I hereby leave all of my possessions to my younger brother Uchiha Sasuke," Tsunade read on. Fugaku noticed that a few ANBU were in the room, waiting near the back door, as if they expected trouble of some sort. He also noticed Danzo leaning back against the wall, his body almost comepletely hidden in the shadows. Fugaku wondered why he was here for a simple will reading.

"Signed, Uchiha Itachi, stamped with the Hokage's seal and signed by three witnesses. Does anyone contest this will?" Tsunade asked. When no one moved, she sighed. "Okay, onto the next one. This is the Last Will and Testament of Haruno Sakura," Tsunade began.

Mikoto noiced the young boy, Kai was his name, standing near Emi. He was quiet, and no AHruno's stood with him or had even batted an eyelash at him. Mikoto noticed a couple give him glares and looks of loathing as they waited for Tsunade to read.

"I, Haruno Sakura, in accordance with the guidelines and laws set forth by the Haruno clan, hearby write this will. In accordance with clan traditions, I leave all of my belongings to my successor and student Haruno Kai!" Tsunade read, surprise and shock on her face as she read the word 'student'.

At once, the room was in an uproar. The Haruno clan members along the wall started yelling, each of them trying to get their opinions to be heard. Some were shaking their fists at Kai, who stood in the middle of the room, his head bowed low.

"QUIET!" Emi roared, and instatntly the room quieted down. She glared around the room as she walked over to Kai and put her arm around his shoulder.

"Is it true?" Tsunade demanded. "Did Sakura take a student without my permission and the backing of the council?"

"Yes it is true. Kai is Sakura's student," Emi said to Tsunade. "I honestly do not see what is so surprising. Haruno clan rules state that when a Haruno dies with no children, their belongings and their titles will be left to their oldest student," Emi said.

"This is preposterous!" came a man from one side of the room. Behind him stood Takashi and Komurei, their faces devoid of any smiles. "He cannot even sing Emi! How do you expect that child to lead the clan?" the man demanded.

"He is still Sakura's student," Emi said.

"It was a mistake for her to ever take him as a student!" another person called out. "He has no vocal cords."

"That is not his fault!" Midori said angrily. "We all bear injuries from the main branch's tyranny!"

"Never the less, he is not a Haruno if he cannot even use our kekkei genkai!" the first man said. "He should not have even been allowed to come to Konoha!"

"Stop it Saido! What are you saying, that we should abandon Sakura's only student?" Haru demanded.

"That child should have been put out of his misery years ago!" a woman said. "It is only because of the evil of the main branch that he still lives! A Haruno that cannot sing is better off dead!"

"I trust Sakura!" Emi said heatedly, and for the first time both Uchihas noticed a katana hanging from Emi's obi. Her hadn was on the hilt, almost as if she was ready for battle. "And all of you should too!"

"This is lunacy Emi! HE CANNOT EVEN TALK, HOW DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO LEAD THE CLAN?" the man roared at Emi.

"Then who should lead? You, Saido?" Emi taunted him.

"Yes! I put myself forward as a candindate for the head of the clan," he said smartly. "It is high time that another branch gets to control the clan. Your branch has been in control too long Emi!" he said.

"Oh this is ridiculous! How can we trust you Saido, you were an errand boy for the Main Branch! For all we know you still have contact with them, considering how close you were!" Emi sneered.

"How dare you Emi! I did what I had to, just like you!" he roared at her.

"Yes, but you never lost your family!" Emi screeched at him. "All the fighting, and what did it get us? Our family members are still dead, killed by the Main Branch! How can you say you are like me when your branch did not lose one single member?"

"We all lost our loved ones Emi!" a woman yelled. "We are all the same! Do not act so high and might Rockslide!" she called out to Emi. Kakashi visibly stiffened at the name, his eyes staring at Emi, widened in shock and disbelief.

"I put Haruno Shoji forward as a candidate," someone called out.

"He is not even a shinobi, he is an accountant! How do you expect him to lead a shinobi clan?" Haru snapped at him.

"But look at where that got us! We are a shinobi clan and we are forced to live like second rate citizens! Look at yourself Emi, you fought with the Fourth Hokage, and it was a draw! A draw! With one of the best Konoha shinobi in history! And now look, you are reduced to a tea shop owner. What will that mean for the rest of us if even the famous Rockslide isn't even allowed to be a shinobi!" Saido called.

"This is not a democracy, this is what Sakura wants! Do we dare go against her, she has led us for many years!" Emi yelled to the crowd.

"Sakura is gone Emi! She might not be dead, but she is lost in Iwa! We should assume she ahs been captured and evacuate Konoha immediately!" someone called. A scattering of murmurs, agreeing with this statement, resounded around the room.

"Sakura would never tell the Main Branch anything!" Haru roared.

"How do we know that?" another woman demanded. "I agree, Sakura was the right choice to be leader, but she was also part of the Main Branch. Kai has no blood relations to the Main Branch!"

"Kai is still Sakura's student!" Emi argued heatedly.

"He is nto a Haruno!" someone called.

"He cannot sing!"

"He should have been kicked out years ago!"

Mikoto stared in disbelief at the accusations and insults hurled at the young child. She looked and saw he was simply staring at the back wall, his face devoid of any expression. He looked eerily like an Uchiha, with his face set in that hard stare.

"Sakura is our leader! She chose Kai out of all of us to be her student! She must of ahd her reasons," Emi argued. "We need to trust her!"

"Sakura is a child! You just want to lead again until Kai si 16, just like you did after that traitor sister of yours was executed!" Saito spat at Emi.

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK OF JURRI LIKE THAT!" Emi screeched at him, crouching down into a battle stance, her hand on the handle of her katana. "SHE HAD NO CHOICE!"

"She married the heir to the Main Branch! She is a traitor!" someone called out.

"Aoi demaded that she marry him after he won Anagnekai!" AHru said furiously, as he too crouched into a battle stance. "Don't you dare speak of Jurri and Aoi like that, without them we would still be in Iwa under the Main Branch's foot!"

"Ehough!" Saito yelled. In a flash, he and Emi were in the middle of the room, their blades in a standstill. Even Fugaku widened his eyes, he had not even seen Saito move.

"Saito, stop!" Komurei called out to him. "This si Rockslide we are talkgin about! She was the most feared Iwa shinobi in the Third War!"

"I do not care!" Saito said furiously. "She was not the only Haruno fighting in the War!"

"NO SONGS AlLOWED, MELE-STYLE!" Midori roared into the crowd, grabbing everybody's attention. "BARFIGHT!"

All at once, the Haruno's charged. Mikoto and Fugaku felt something pull them out of the way as each side charged at each other. They were pulled up near the Hokage's desk, standing on wither side and looking down at the occupants of the room fighting. They looked down to see Kai had grabbed ahold of their sleeves just in time. Sasuke, Kakashi, Yamato, Sai, and ino were also standing behind Tsunade's desk.

"Hokage-san, this is a seriopus issue," Kakashi said. "Rockslide was the name of the top shinobi in the Iwa ranks during the war. If she is here…"

"Kakashi, there is nothing to worry about," Danzo said as she walked up to Tsunade's desk.

"Danzo, did you know Emi was the shinobi known as Rockslide?" Tsunade demanded.

"Yes, I did," he said.

"And why did you not inform the council that an Iwa ninja that rivaled the Fourth Hokage was living in Konoha for so many years?" Tsunade demanded angrily.

"I did not see the information pertinent. Haruno-san is no longer a shinobi after all," he pointed out.

"Still, to have someone that powerful living here, it does not sit well with me," Kakashi said.

"Is it true Emi-san tied with the Fourth Hokage?" Naruto asked, his eyes wide in shock.

"Tied is not really the word Naruto. 'Rockslide' was the anme of a shinobi from Iwa, and yes, she did fight the Fourth and managed to wound him before retreating," Kakashi said.

"I wonder why there is all this fuss over Ugly," Sai interjected.

"WHHOOOHHHAA!" came a large voice as a huge metal hammer slammed into Tsunade's desk, barely missing Haru, who had dodged another blow.

"Sorry Haru," Takashi said as he lifted the hammer to swing again.

"No problem Takashi," Haru siad. Haru glared at Kai. "Aren't you going to fight?" he snapped at Kai.

Kai shook his head before surveying the massive fight in the Hokage's office. He sighed as he walked in fornt of the now smashed desk.

Tsunade watched as he made some hadn signs she had never seen before. He opened his mouth wide and took a deep breath.

Eveyone in the room covered their ears as a high pitched screech came out of Kai. His screech blew all the Haruno's back, making them skid on the floor. They all looked over at the small child, whose eyes were blazing at them all.

"_Quiet Everone!_ He had written. _"Now it is my turn"_

He turned the page. _"Sakura picked me for a reason. Haruno's are supposed to pick someone they have a close relationship with. That is why family members are always picked."_ He began, flipping pages at the end of every scentence.

"_However, Sakura picked me because I know what we are up against."_

"_None of you lived in the dungeons. None of you have seen the horrors of what the main branch can do."_

"_You cannot even fathom some of the things we have survived."_

"_So what if I can't sing? Sakura has been experimenting with a new type of surgery."_

"_She thinks in four years she can replace my vocal cords."_

"_I will be able to sing again. I will be able to talk again."_

"_I am capable of leading this clan, and I will lead it until my sensei returns!"_

Kai humphed and closed his notebook. He glared at the room, daring anyone to refute him.

"So, I guess this case is closed," Haru said.

"So everyone can go home now," Emi said to the room.

The Haruno's started to file out, a couple of them grumbling to themselves. "This isn't over," Saito hissed to Kai as he walked by them.

"Sorry about the desk," Haru said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"It's no problem," Tsunade said. She looked down at Kai. "Is it true Sakura taught you?" she asked.

Kai nodded his head.

"Did she teach you any medical jutsu?" Tsunade asked.

Kai nodded his head once again, a smile on his face. _"She also has been helping me develop some new jutsus."_

Tsunade sighed. "I'll have to report this to the council, but for now there is nothing I can do. All of you may go," she said.

"Thank you Hokage-sama," Emi said with a bow as she escorted the rest of her family out.

The door slammed behind them and Tsunade breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to Kakashi, "What do you think?" she asked Kakashi, "About Emi Haruno?"

"She seems harmless. They have lived for so many years under our radar, I do not see how this will be a problem now," Kakashi said.

"I still can't believe Emi was a ninja! She seemed so normal, like all the other civilians!" Naruto said.

"Hey Naruto, you should keep this a secret," Kakashi siad. "That goes for everyone here as well."

"Why?" Sasuke asked his sensei.

"I have a feeling that the Haruno's didn't want anyone to know that they were ninja. If they kept it hidden for this long, we should repect their wishes," Kakashi siad.

"Hokage-sama, I know this is not my place to speak, but I believe that Emi and her clan love this village," Mikoto said. "I have a feeling they have suffered a lot in the Stone, and will be happy to give us any information they have in exchange for living here."

"Thye already have," Danzo piped in. "Aoi HAruno gave us valuable inside information when he first came to us about moving to the Leaf. The Haruno clan made a deal with the Third Hokage and live by strict guidelines we set down for them," he said.

"So they are legal?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes, they are legal," Danzo answered. "They have every right to be here."

"I guess this meeting is adjourned," Tsunade said. "Uggghhh, I need some sake," she muttered.

/

Neji sat on the front step of his house, putting on his shoes. He strapped his sandals on just as his uncle Hiashi came out of the Hyuga main house. "Where are you going Neji?" he asked.

"I am going to offer my condolences to Sakura's family," Neji said.

"Is that the girl who died with Fugaku's son?" Hiashi asked.

"Yes," Neji answered as he stood. "She was my girlfriend for a few months too, remember?"

"Ahh, yes, the pink haired one," Hiashi said. "I remember."

"Well Uncle, I must be going," Neji said.'

"I will come too," Hiashi said. "I also wish to offer my sympathy to the family," he said.

Neji looked at his uncle in surprise. Hiashi smiled at his nephew, "If you were the one who died, I would like for someone to do the same for me," he said. "I cannot imagine losing you, Hinata, or Hanabi."

"It is the way of the ninja," Neji said. "We are bound to lose comrades once in a while."

"Yes, but still, it is horrible to think about," Hiashi said.

"I know," Neji said quietly.

Hiashi looked at his nephew, his gaze hard. "Neji, did you love this girl?" he asked suspiciously.

Neji sighed. "I did. But it didn't work out between us."

Hiashi sighed. "I am sorry to hear that Neji," he said as the pair left the Hyuga compound. They entered the main part of the village, the people of Konoha out for the afternoon. Vendors and shops linned the streets as the two Hyugas walked by.

Neji led his uncle down the main street in Konoha unitl they came to a small tea shop on a corner. The door was painted white, and a girl in a yukta was sweeping the steps in front of the shop.

Neji walked to the shop, and through the front doors, Hiashi following in his wake.

"How many people do you have coming in today?" a girl, wearing the same light blue yukta as the one outside, asked Neji as he approached the seating area.

"Two," Neji said.

"All right, please follow me this way," the girl siad as she led Neji to a small table near one of the windows. She handed them their menus with a smile and left them alone. Hiashi noticed that the tea shop was bigger than it looked, almost all the tables filled with many customers. tHe people inside laughed and joked merrily, the waitresses laughing with them.

Neji sat, Hiashi across from him. Soon enough another waitress returned to take their order. "Can I get you anything to drink?" she asked them.

"Yes, I'll take an oolong tea," Neji said. "Do you want anything uncle?" he asked.

"Yes, I'll have the mitarashi dango and a dragonfruit tea," he ordered.

"All right, if you need anything else give me a holler," the waitress said.

"We came here to speak to Emi Haruno, is she in?" Neji asked quickly as the girl turned to walk away.

"Haruno-sama is here, let me get here for you," the girl siad with a smile as she walked away.

"Why are we here at this tea shop?" Hiashi asked.

"Emi Haruno is Sakura's aunt, and her guardian. She owns the shop," Neji explained.

"I see," Hiashi siad thoughtfully. "I did not know her family was civilians. You wouldn't ever guess that, the way Sakura turned out."

"I am not sure, but her family seems like more than civilians," Neji said, careful to keep his voice down. "They are just too smooth in their actions and too quiet sometimes, they must have had some ninja training at some point," he siad.

"Good afternoon gentlemen. I hear you are asking for me," came Emi's voice as she pulled up a chair to their table.

Hiashi stared at the woman, his Hyuga eyes wide as she smiled at them. "Neji, it is good to see you again dearie," she said as she smiled at the Hyuga jounin.

"Same to you Haruno-sama," Neji said politely.

"Oh dearie, call me Emi," Emi said with a wave of her hand.

The waitress came back with their tea and dango. Emi smiled as the waitress left them, surveying both Hyuga's with her warm eyes. Haishi noticed her deep, chocholate brown eyes were warm and kind, however he noticed an edge to them. They held an age beyond her years, pain shining softly in their depths.

"Allow me to introduce my uncle, Hyuga Hiashi," Neji said.

"It is nice to meet you Haruno-sama," Hiashi said, never taking his eyes off of Emi. He extended his hand to her, and Emi shook it slightly, a smile on her face.

"Thank you Hyuga-sama," Emi said. "Now I am sure you both are very busy men, so I am wondering why did you decided to make a stop inside my tea shop?" Emi asked lightly.

"We came to offer our condolences on the death of your neice," Hiashi said, cutting off Neji before Neji could open his mouth. Neji stared at his uncle, unsure of what to do.

"Why thank you Hyuga-sama," Emi said.

"Please, call me Hiashi," Hiashi siad.

Emi smiled. "As long as you call me Emi. Anyways, thank you for your kind words Hiashi," Emi siad.

"If there is anything you or your family needs, please feel free to come to us if you need," Hiashi siad, further shocking his nephew across the table. Neji stayed silent as his uncle leaned closer to Emi, putting his hands over hers, which were folded on the table.

Emi simply looked back, her smile suddenly getting a little more forced. "Why thank you, I will keep that in mind," she siad. She turned her smile to Neji, who noticed instantly that her eyes had turned icy. "So how are you doing Neji?" she asked him, and Neji could practically see the vein throbbing in her forehead from annoyance.

"I am fine," Neji answered akwardly. "When will Sakura's funeral be?"

"Ahh, Neji, I know you are aware that I do not believe that Sakura is dead, so there will be no funeral," Emi said.

"but surely the rest of your clan will want one?" Hiashi asked her.

"No, actually we are all in agreement on this. You see, in our clan we only hold a ceremony if there is a body to bury. And like me, they all believe that Sakura is alive," Emi siad.

"Emi, it is impossible. We never saw Sakura come out of the tower," Neji siad.

"Are you sure there was not a back entrance?" Emi asked. "Are you sure they did not use another route? Just because they were not visible dows not mean that they are completey dead," she argued.

Hiashi looked at her critically. "I am sure your clan feels the pain of this loss, but if Neji says that she died, then…."

Before he could finish his sentence, Emi pinned him with a steel gaze that made the Hyuga clan leader falter. Her eyes turned to two hard pieces of stone, narrowing into slits. "It will take more than a falling tower to kill my niece, I can assure you of that," she siad coldly. She sighed. "However, this is a mute point. I do not wish to argue, especially after you two gentlemen have shown us such kindness by coming down here to see me," she said.

"What was Sakura like when she was younger?" Neji asked, in an attempt to diffuse the tension.

"Well, she was the same, just a little cheerier," Emi siad softly, a smile on her face. "Why, she could brighten any day. However, she changed when she came to this village. She entered the Academy and became stronger, and more cynical," she said.

"Sakura was your nice, was she not?" Hiashi asked. When Emi nodded, he proceded. "What was her mother like?" he asked.

He saw Emi's face cloud over, her eyes sad. "My sister Jurri was the kindest woman there ever was. She was a little quiet, but she had a unique way of charming people. I have a picture," Emi siad as she rummaged through her overcoat.

Emi pulled out a picture and hadnde it to Neji. Neji looked on in shock as he could swear the woman in the picture had Sakura's exact face. Her rounded cheeks were upturned into a soft smile, her hazel eyes looking warmly out of the picture. She was wearing an ornate kimono, however the picture only was of the top half of her body. Her deep red hair was fanned out behind her shoulders, dropping below the frame of the picture.

The man next to her had his arm around her shoulder, a soft smile alos on his face. His eyes were exactly like Sakura's, the same shade of emerald. His hair was white, cut short and choppy. He wore an ornate harori and Neji assumed this picture was taken at some clan event. The man's face was a little more sharp and angular than his wife's, and Neji noticed he wore a forehead protector. However, the glare from the protector blocked the village symbol.

Neji passed the picture over to his uncle. Hiashi looked at it, then back at Emi, almost as if comparing her to the girl in the picture. "You and your sister have the same colored eyes," he siad as he handed the picture back to Emi.

Emi laughed. "My mother use to sau it was all we had in common," she said. "I was a lot older than Jurri, and a lot more… outspoken."

"Is that Sakura's father in the picture?" NEij asked.

He watched as anger fashed across her eyes foir s split second. "Yes, that is Aoi Haruno, Jurri's husband," Emi said.

"He is a ninja," Hiashi said. "What village did your clan hail form?"

"We came from Iwa," Emi said.

"I see," Hiashi siad. "Do you ever miss it?"

Emi smiled, "Not in the least, Hiashi-san. I am happy here in Konoha. It is my home now," she siad.

Hiashi smiled at her, and Neji was once again shocked to see his uncle smile at anyone. "Do you have any children Emi?" he asked her, leaning his head against his propped up hand as he surveyed her.

"Yes, I have a daughter who is 14, and one who is 7," Emi answered. "My daughter Lavi is friends with your daughter Hanabi," Emi siad.

"Lavi is your daughter?" Hiashi asked in shock. "I never knew. She is a very kind girl," he siad, quickly recovering himself.

"Why thank you," Emi siad.

"Actually, I was wondering if you were free this Saturday?" Hiashi asked. "There is this nice restauraunt that just opened…"

"Ah, I'm married," Emi said sharply, cutting off Hiashi mid sentence. Neji just stared, his mouth slightly open as he looked at his uncle. "Now please excuse me gentlemen, I msut get back to the shop," Emi siad as she pushed out her chair. Without another word she left the two Hyugas sitting there.

Neji could only stare at his uncle as Hiashi sipped his tea. "Neji, close your mouth, it is unbecoming of a Hyuga," he said.

"You… you…you…." Neji spluttered.

"Neji, I am still a human being, am I not allowed to find a woman attractive?" Hiashi asked.

"But.. but….but…" Neji began in shock.

"Emi is a beautiful lady, and she is exactly my type," Hiashi said with another calm sip of his tea.

"TYPE?" Neji asked incredulously.

"I like a little fire in my women," Hiashi siad, making Neji's mouth drop open again. Forget manners, Neji's mind was reeling at the information he was being given. He had never seen his uncle even mention a woman, much less hit on her right in front of him.

"Why don't we leave?" Hiashi suggested as he laid the money for their tea down on the table.

Neji could only nod as he followed his uncle. It was best to get home as soon as possible. This day was definitely too weird for him.

/

Emi walked into Tsunade's office two weeks later, a smirk on her face. Kai was at her side, along with Haru, smirks on both of their face. In the room was Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha, along with their son. Kakashi stared at her as she walked in, and Emi smiled a little.

Neji, Sai, Yamato, along with Shizune and Shikamaru were also in the room as well. Emi sighed, knowing what was coming. Gai, Lee, Tenten, and Neji were also there

"I have good news," Tsunade said, as soon as everyone had quieted down. "I have eccievesd a message from Itachi."

Emi heard Mikoto gasp and tuned to see tears in the woman's eyes. Emi smiled kindly at her, as Mikoto smiled back, happy tears in her eyes. Emi also saw Fugaku looke down at the floor, but Emi could see the smile adorning his face, so uncharacteristic for an Uchiha.

"He and Sakura are in the Stone," Tsunade continued. "They escaped the tower and are stuck in a rural farm area. Itachi's message just got to me. They plan on trying to make the trip back to Konoha in three days, according to the letter."

"That's great news! Sakura-chan is okay!" Naruto said as he cheered.

"I'm glad to hear Ugly will be coming back," Sai said with smile.

"Now, Sakura and Itachi are stuck in enemy territory. I am sending a small group of shinobi to meet them and bring them home. You are to go into the Stone, unnoticed, and escort those two back to Konoha," Tsunade siad.

"Thank you so much Lady Hokage!" Mikoto said, wiping her tears away form her face with her kimono sleeve.

"Kakashi, you will be leading this squad. Team Kakashi and Team Gai will go," Tsunade continued.

"YES, THE YOUTHFULLNESS SHALL SHINE TO SAVE OUR COMERADS!" Lee roared. "I WILL RETURN THE BEAUTIFUL SAKURA, FOR MY HEART BEATS FOR NO OTHER!"

"Lee, knock it off," Neji said, hitting his teammate on the back of the head.

"But Neji! Don't you want to save Sakura?" Lee whined, nursing his bruised head.

"Of course I do!" Neji snapped, his face full of anger as he glared at his teammate.

"NEJI! MY HOW YOUTHFUL YOU ARE TODAY!" Gai roared as he posed, his thumbs up pointed at the Haruno's. "And my, my, who is this pretty lady we have here?" he asked, taking Emi's hands in his own.

"Married," Emi said with a smile. "Now please let go," she said, her voice icy.

"Ahh, to see the sweet bloom of love, Mrs. Haruno, although you are married, my love will still persist!" Gai said.

"_Lady Hokage, may I ask you a favor?"_ Kai worte, as he held it up to Tsunade.

"What is it?" Tsunade asked him.

"_Let Emi and Haru go with the Team_" Kai wrote.

"What! Why should I do something like that? They are civilians," Tsuande said.

"_Emi was an Iwa ANBU, and Haru achieved a jounin rank before he was 14,"_ Kai wrote.

"You're a jounin!" Naruto and Sasuke yelled at the same time.

"Yep," Haru said sheepishly.

"Why, how youthful to see another ninja!" Gai proclaimed.

"Why should we let them go?" Tsunade said

"Lady Tsunade, I know the ANBU patrols that Iwa uses. I can lead the team around the ANBU patrols, and I know the land there better than any other shinobi," Emi argued. "I was an ANBU for them for many years after all, and before I came to Konoha I held a captain ranking."

"That might be true, but how are we to know you will not betray the team's location?" Tsunade challenged. "I am sorry, but I cannot let you go."

"Please Hokage-sama!" Haru pleaded. "We know the area, and the Haruno clan has designated meeting points across Iwa. We can lead the team there and send a message to Sakura to meet up there, and…."

"I am sorry, but I cannot risk it," Tsunade siad.

"_Please! They could be a great asset to the team!" _Kai wrote.

"You are also refugees, and could get the team into a lot of trouble if you are caught in Iwa," Kakashi pointed out.

"We will never betray Konoha, it is our home!" Emi argued.

"I think Emi and Haru should come," Naruto said, surprising everyone in the room with the seriousness of his voice. "They know the area better than we do. And if Emi is as powerful as everyone is saying, she would be a great asset to the team," he argued.

"I am surprised Naruto, that was very mature," Tsunade said.

"Also, Sakura has served Konoha loyally for years. We should trust her family," Sasuke said.

"I agree," Neji said. "I believe we can trust the Haruno clan."

"Are you sure?" Tsunade asked. She sighed. "Fine, go, and take the Haruno's with you," she said. "Kakashi, you are the leader for this mission."

"Thank you Hokage-sama!" Emi said, her eyes practically tearing.

"All right, meet in front of the main gate in three hours," Kakashi said.

Emi and Haru nodded, smiles on their faces.


	5. Chapter 5

Non massacre Itachi Sakura. I don't own Naruto, sadly. The songs used are…..

Devon Townsend Project, The Way Home (from my favorite album of his, Addicted)

Avenged Sevenfold Scream

Chapter 5

Emi and Haru were at Konoha gates waiting for the rest of the group to show up. Both were shouldering packs, Midori by Haru's side. Kai was also with them; his erase board tucked under one arm, as he looked up at the clear blue sky.

Haru was glaring at Kai, his hands balled into fists at his side. Midori's hand was on his arm, resting there. She looked worried for her brother, her large eyes wide like a deer caught in a pair of headlights.

Team Gai showed up, ready to go.

"Ahhh, we meet again my beautiful flower," Gai said to Emi, taking her hands in his.

Emi's vein on her forehead throbbed as she resisted the urge to throttle the man in the green spandex suit. "Hello," she said with an icy smile.

"Ah, Haru, welcome to the team!" Lee said.

"Thanks Lee," Haru said. He looked down at his sister. "I'll be back soon Midori," he said softly as he knelt down to face his sister.

Midori's tears ran like a waterfall as she hugged her brother. "Haru! Please be safe!" she begged between tears.

"I'll be fine. Stay with Uncle Jiro until I get back, I don't want you to be alone," Haru said with a soft smile.

Midori couldn't stop crying, as her brother hugged her. "Bring back Sakura safely," she hiccupped, her face buried in Haru's shoulder.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," Haru said.

Midori only hugged her brother tighter. "Be careful. I can't imagine losing you. We already lost mom and dad….." she said quietly.

"It's okay Midori. I live in Konoha now, so the Main Branch can't touch me," Haru said, his normal smile on his face.

"Do not worry; we will bring back Sakura, for my youthful love will never die!" Lee proclaimed loudly.

"Shut up bushy brows!" Naruto called. "Kakashi sensei, I'm hungry!"

"We just ate dobe!" Sasuke snapped at his friend.

"Up yours teme," Naruto shot back.

"Hey dickless, get moving," Sai called up to his teammate.

"Boys, please, we have guests, so try to behave," Kakashi said, never taking his eyes off of his porn book.

"OUR YOUTHEFULNESS WILL SHINE!"

"GAI SENSEI IS THE GREATEST!"

"Ugggh," Neji groaned. This was going to be a long mission.

The Haruno's exchanged glances. "Are all Konoha ninja this weird?" Emi asked Haru.

"I think so," Haru said as they started to walk out of the gate, him and Emi in the middle of the two squads.

"Hey Midori!" Haru called back.

"Yeah!" she called to him.

"Keep up with your training while I'm gone!" Haru hollered to his sister.

"Time to go,' Kakashi said. Silently, Kakashi noticed nether of the Haruno's said goodbye to Sakura's student Kai.

Emi and Haru nodded. Both teams of ninja watched curiously as the two Haruno's shed their large coats, leaving only their kimonos. They both dropped their coats at the same time.

The ninja flew out of the way as the two coats created two identical craters in the ground, much like Lee's weights. Emi and Haru just smiled as the dust settled.

Emi rolled her shoulders. "Ahhh feels good to get all that weight off of my shoulders," she said as she stretched her arms over her head.

Haru also rubbed his neck. "Definitely. Now why don't we show these Konoha ninja what we Haruno's are made of?" Haru said.

Emi laughed. "Just don't underestimate them Haru," she said wisely.

"Wow! How many weights were in those coats?" Naruto asked.

"Well, as part of our training, Haruno clan members are required to wear a minimum of 50 lbs at all times, except when training or in battle," Emi said.

"Emi and I carry a bit more because we have completed our training," Haru said.

"Just try and keep up," Kakashi said as his team took to the trees, jumping from branch to branch.

"HAHAHAHA KAKASHI! I SEE YOUR PLAN!" Gai said. "I WILL NOT LOSE TO MY RIVAL! TEAM GAI MOVE OUT!" he called as Gai's team took to the trees as well.

"Do they know it's not a race?" Haru asked Emi.

"Maybe it's a Konoha thing?" Emi said.

"Hey Emi, do you think we will ever get that weird?" Haru asked as the two of them just stood there.

"Probably not," Emi said.

"Well, why don't we show them a thing or two about speed?" Haru said with a smile.

"Right," Emi said as she and Haru took off.

Up ahead Kakashi looked down at the forest floor. His eye widened as he saw two blurs of color running on the forest floor. He held his hand up and his team halted.

"What is that?" Naruto asked in wonder.

"Whatever it is, it is gaining fast," Sasuke said as he and Sai also stopped to look behind them. Up ahead, team Gai also stopped to see what this was.

The blur sped up, and Kakashi could make out the shapes of Emi and Haru Haruno as they sped by on the forest floor. Emi skidded to a stop, smiling up at the Konoha ninjas in the tree.

"Coming?" she asked lightly.

Kakashi smiled back, his one eye crinkling slightly. "Don't underestimate us," he said.

"Well, let's see how good you are," Emi said as she took off running.

Up ahead the Konoha ninja saw the path they were on snake around a large hill. They could see a blue blur running up the path, whipping around each turn of the large hill.

"Well, let's go," Kakashi said.

"At least we do not need to worry about them keeping up," Neji said.

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "I think we should worry about ourselves, not them," he said. "I am sure the Haruno's can take care of themselves."

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

They camped out halfway to the border of Iwa. Emi and Haru gathered around the fire with the other shinobi, however Haru was unnaturally quiet. Kakashi quickly noticed the boy's sullen look, which only seemed to brighten when Naruto was engaging him. Haru and Emi would talk together, their heads bent to cover their lips, and their voices so low even with his excellent hearing Kakashi could not tell what their conversations were about.

"Hey! What'cha talking about?" Naruto called to the two Haruno's.

"Oh, we are just discussing some clan drama," Emi said with a smile as her head shot up. "We do not wish to drag all of you into our family problems, so we are trying to keep this just between the two of us."

"Emi, you can tell us what's wrong!" Naruto chirped up.

"Maybe we can help, my beautiful lotus flower," Gai said, giving his signature thumbs up.

"Maybe not…." Emi murmured.

"Hey Emi, what is wrong?" Naruto asked.

"Nothing," Haru replied sharply.

"Hey! What's your problem?" Sasuke snapped at him.

"What's yours pretty boy?" Haru snapped back.

"Haru, stop this!" Emi said as Haru stood in anger.

"Oh stop it Aunt Emi," he snapped at her.

"Excuse me?" Emi asked her tone icy as she stood to face her nephew. The Konoha ninja watched curiously.

"You know exactly what is wrong! Who does that kid think he is, giving us an order like that?" Haru yelled at Emi.

"Kai is our clan leader now Haru and we are responsible for following his orders!" Emi said. "I know it seems hard….."

"I don't care about the main branch or any of that shit, there is no way I could ever kill Sakura!" Haru said.

"What did you say?" Kakashi asked. In a second, Haru was against a tree, Kakashi's hand around his throat.

"Release him," Emi said her sword at Kakashi's neck. Kakashi looked at her, unfazed by the katana at his throat.

"You moved so fast I did not see you," Kakashi said. "I expected nothing less from the famous Rockslide."

"Stop Kakashi," Emi said calmly.

"What is this about?" Neji asked, clearly confused. "What orders do you two have to follow?"

"I suppose now it is too late to keep secrets," Emi said with a glare at Haru. "Next time keep your mouth shut," she snapped at him as she sheathed her katana.

Haru just glared at Emi. "We are here to evaluate of Sakura can return to Konoha," he said.

"What do you mean if?" Sasuke asked, his sharingan blazing.

"Aren't you her relatives?" Neji asked his voice icy. Tenten put a hand on his arm, trying to calm him.

"Don't you trust her?" Naruto asked them.

"Naruto, this is not a question about trust," Emi said. "This is for the safety of everyone in Konoha."

"Bull," Sai said. "Ugly would never bring any harm to Konoha."

"Not intentionally," Emi said. She sighed. "It is possible we might get to Iwa and find that the Sakura we knew no longer exists," she said.

"What do you mean?" Lee asked.

"We received a report that the main branch is experimenting on how to rid test subjects of their memories, to create the perfect soldier. The test subjects have no free will, and follow only their master's orders. We fear if Sakura has been captured, then the main branch has used this experiment on her. They will make her infiltrate Konoha and gather information. Kai convinced Lady Hokage to let us come on this rescue mission so we can judge if Sakura has been experimented on. If she has, our mission is to kill her," Emi explained.

"WHAT!" Naruto said.

"This is ridiculous Emi!" Haru growled. "I refuse to kill Sakura!"

"Haru, what if she is not the Sakura you knew!" Emi yelled at him.

"Why did you not inform the Hokage of this?" Kakashi asked.

"Would you have believed us?" Emi asked. "Danzo has had this information for a while now. He keeps in contact with the Haruno Main Branch. Why did he not inform the Hokage?"

"Danzo is a snake," Haru hissed.

"That he is," Kakashi said.

"The Sakura we find might not be the same as she left," Emi said. Suddenly Kakashi noticed that Emi had lines around her eyes that were not there before. Her shoulders sagged a bit, and her skin crinkled around her cheeks. Emi looked older than he had ever seen her look, however there was nothing compared to her eyes. They were haunted, like someone who has seen too much evil in the world. Kakashi recognized the look well, he had seen it in many shinobi, however, none had the deep look Emi had.

Kakashi looked at Haru as if he had never seen him before. Haru had the same dark look, the same haunted face. His was not as deep as Emi's, however Kakashi could instantly see Haru had the same look as a veteran shinobi. Both of them had seen too much war in their lives. Kakashi wondered if he had never noticed the same look in his student.

"Emi, will Sakura really betray us?" Naruto asked his eyes wide with worry.

"I do not know Naruto, however we must be ready for anything," Emi said as she and the rest of the group sat around the fire again.

Naruto sat down, a sad look on his face. Lee also looked heartbroken, at the thought that his precious Sakura might be lost forever. Sai and Sasuke looked like normal, however Kakashi could see the tension in Sasuke's face and the way he clenched his hands. His student was definitely furious, Kakashi could instantly tell.

"I think you should tell us more about the Haruno Clan," Kakashi said.

"Absolutely not!" Emi said indignantly. "We do not pry into your private life, and I suggest you do not pry into mine."

"We need to know anything else that my compromise our mission," Sasuke said sharply, his onyx eyes blazing. "So why don't you start talking."

"Stop it!" Emi said forcefully, her eyes blazing. "Don't you dare lecture us on missions, you spoon fed spoiled prick. You have no idea what you are asking, if you want answers, go ask Sakura," Emi said.

"Why did your family leave Iwa?" Kakashi asked.

"Just stop it!" Haru said. "We left because it was unsafe, there, happy?" he snapped.

"I'm sorry, but it is clan rules, we can't talk to outsiders about clan business," Emi said.

"Why?" Neji and Lee asked at the same time.

"It was Jurri's idea. This way we could assimilate better to Konoha if we left our pasts behind us," Emi said.

Kakashi sighed. "Is Sakura in danger being in Iwa?" he asked.

"More than you know," Emi answered. "However, there is nothing we can do about that now, so I suggest we get good nights's sleep and get started early tomorrow. We need to get to Sakura as fast as possible," she said.

"Agreed," Kakashi said.

"But Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto whined.

"I agree, the Haruno's need to tell us more," Sasuke said.

"Not now," Emi said. "We will talk more later. Now off to bed," she said with a kind smile.

Grumbling, the young shinobi got in their tents, and went to bed.

/

The next day they moved out in silence. Kakashi kept them moving at such a fast pace, that they reached the border of Iwa by the next day.

Emi and Haru slowed to a stop, and the Konoha shinobi landed next to them. "We need to locate Sakura," Emi said. She took out a map form her pack. Kakashi took out his map, and the teams compared the two. Emi's was older, but it had many notes on it, and tons of small red lines darting in and out of Iwa.

"Emi, what are those?" Naruto asked.

"ANBU patrols," Emi said. "They have been the same since the First Great Shinobi War, and I highly doubt they will change any time soon."

"What do you suggest?" Kakashi asked her.

"The ANBU patrols only pass over this area once a day," Emi said, running her fingers along one of the lines. "We infiltrate here after dark and continue to this mountain," she said, pointing out a mountain range. "From there, we head north. No patrols go near the area because it is uninhabited, so we will be able to slip under their radar."

"Why don't they patrol that area?" Kakashi asked. "Even if there are no people, that only makes it a better place for enemy shinobi to infiltrate."

"The ANBU numbers have gone down in Iwa," Emi said. "The shinobi clans are dying out, so there are few genins rising through the ranks. Iwa keeps up a false pretense, but their government is falling rapidly. Only the Haruno's…." she said before she stopped.

"What?" Kakashi said.

"Nothing," Emi said shortly. "You'd better hope that we do not meet any Haruno's patrolling around. They are the blue patrol lines," Emi said as she traced them on the map.

"They only patrol near a small village on the northern border," Kakashi said.

"That is the Haruno Village," Haru explained. "If we get separated, stay away from that village. It is too dangerous," he said.

"Got it," Naruto said, nodding his head.

"Haru, I need you to locate Sakura," Emi said, taking command.

"Are you sure?" Haru asked. "This close, the signal could easily be intercepted."

"Unlikely," Emi said. "The main branch is concentrating their forces. They will not be looking for someone so far from the village. And how do you suggest we find Sakura if we are not even sure where they are?" Emi argued.

"We have a set meeting place with Itachi," Neji said.

"Yes, however, if we can get there quicker, it would be better, right?" Emi said.

"How do you propose to get in contact with Sakura?" Sasuke asked.

Emi nodded to Haru. "Remember to keep it short, and keep it simple," she said.

"Hai," Haru said. The Konoha shinobi watched in curiosity as Haru sat on the ground. He put his hands together, his legs crossed, and his eyes closed.

"What the hell?" Sasuke said as a circle appeared around Haru, the edge glowing with odd runes and symbols.

"_The way home" _Haru sang, purple chakra swirling up from the circle to wave and weave around the outside of the barrier the circle created. Music started up, guitars and drums coming together, almost as if the chakra was creating the background music to Haru's song

_Lined with all the things that you have learned_," he sang_._

"_The way home..._

_The lights are on, but we're still getting burned._

_Show to me_," he sang, the Konoha shinobi looking on in wonder.

"_The way I found the grey lines honed._

_So hollow now..."_ The wind whipped around him, making his hair fly over his eyes. Kakashi's eyes picked out the faint line of black marks swirling under his collar, like some kind of curse mark.

"_Show's over now..._

_The way I'm lighting all the faces you have turned._

_The way is high._

_Glad to know the greatest thing I knew... I always knew._

_So hollow now..._

_Show's over now..._

_And I've wasted time on daylight..._

_I won't be knocked down,_

_Show the way. _

_So hollow now..._

_Show's over now..._

_And I've wasted time on daylight..._

_I won't be shown the way home…_." He sang softly as the song finished. The chakra died down, returning to the circle on the ground before the circle disappeared.

"We have to hurry," Haru said. "They are two days away from our location. However, they are heading right for an ANBU patrol area. They will definitely be caught by ANBU in two days here," he said pointing to a spot near the mountains Emi had been talking about.

"How do you know that?" Kakashi asked.

"Our kekkei genkai allows us to communicate telepathically with each other, via the chakra made and molded by our voices," Emi said.

"I just contacted Sakura, and she said that she and Itachi are fine, they are travelling as a married trading couple that got robbed on the road," Haru said. "The Main Branch shouldn't know that she is here, she told me to tell her team that Akoji, whoever he is, didn't survive the falling tower."

"Good, that swine is better off dead," Sasuke said sharply. The Haruno's looked at him, concern on their faces.

"Huh?" Haru said.

"It's none of your business," Sasuke snapped.

Haru sighed. "You're weird," he said.

The ninja took off, and Kakashi ran next to Emi, both of them taking the lead. "Where did you get such a detailed map?" he asked her quietly, so the other shinobi would not hear.

Emi smiled. "It was mine when I was an Iwa ANBU," she said. "My sister Jurri added most of the patrols and trade routes, as well as abandoned routes to it. She thought I might need it someday," Emi said.

Kakashi smiled under his mask. "I remember her well and your other sister too," he said.

"Oh, I forgot, we rescued you during the war, didn't we?" Emi said.

"Yeah," Kakashi said.

"So do you still read those porn books?" Emi asked slyly.

Kakashi laughed. "Yeah, I do," he said. "How is your other sister doing?" he asked.

"She is dead as well," Emi said. "She was Haru and Midori's mother."

"I'm sorry," Kakashi said.

"Many things happened after the war was over," Emi said.

"What happened between your sister Jurri and that man?" Kakashi asked.

"Aoi? They ended up getting married and having Sakura not long after," Emi said.

"I see," Kakashi said. "I am sorry about your loss."

"It is fine," Emi said. "I believe someday I will see my sisters again. And besides, I have my daughters and nieces and nephews to look after. I don't have time to feel sorry for myself," Emi said with a smile.

"If you could, would you return to active duty?" Kakashi asked her.

Emi sighed. "Probably not," she said. "I like living as a civilian. It is easier, and much quieter. After everything that went on in the war, and after it for that matter, I am glad to have some peace and quiet for once. It is nice."

Kakashi smiled. "I know what you mean," he said.

"Thanks for taking care of Sakura for so many years," Emi said.

"It has been my pleasure," Kakashi said. "She has grown into a great young kunoichi."

"You don't know the half of it," Emi said with a smile.

/

"Ugg, what are we going to do!" Naruto yelled. The group had reached the mountain, but the tiny valley they were in was blocked by a rockslide. They were currently walking single file on a tiny trail that was cut into the side of the thin valley. Below them was a gigantic drop, which made even the chunin nervous.

"We can't go up Kakashi," Gai said. "Even for us, the sheer face of the canyon is too big to climb."

"And going down is not an option," Sai said.

Emi and Haru just exchanged glances.

"We will double back and go around," Kakashi said. "It cannot be helped.

The group turned to go when a rumbling sound was heard in the canyon below. Tenten screamed as the ground beneath her feet slid out from underneath her. Haru jumped, grabbing her around her waist before crashing onto the other side of trail.

"This is madness, we need to get out of here immediately," Sasuke said.

"No! This is the quickest way to Sakura," Haru said as he stood and brushed himself off.

"Leave this to me," Emi said calmly. She smirked as she put her hand on the hilt of her katana, her thumb clicking the handle up to loosen the blade.

She crouched into her fighting stance, her sword not yet drawn. She put her hand on the hilt, her eyes closed.

Emi ran, jumping above the rocks. She unsheathed her sword, as she descended.

She brought it down, as if to cut the rockslide. The edge of the sword glowed gold, and as it cut the rocks, the gold light continued all the way down the rock wall.

A rumbling sound was heard, and the rocks began to fall, the entire wall sliding down the valley, away from the Konoha ninja. Emi landed back on the trail, sheathing her katana. The katana had no marks and not a single blemish on the blade.

"Wow Emi, that's amazing!" Naruto said.

"Thanks Naruto," Emi said with a smile. "They don't call me rockslide for nothing!"

"Ahhh, Emi, your strength makes me yearn for your fiery youthful spirit!" Gai said.

A vein was throbbing in Emi's head. She could not wait to finish this stupid mission.

Let's move," Kakashi said tersely.

/

"Up ahead!" Haru yelled as they reached their destination site.

Itachi and Sakura were battling ten Iwa ninjas. Haru quickly did a count and saw that there were no Haruno's in the group. He let out a sigh of relief; it would be easier to get out of Iwa if they did not have to encounter any other Haruno's.

"Sakura!" Haru yelled.

Sakura ducked as Haru vaulted over her, his feet smashing into the Iwa ninja behind her. The others soon joined the fight.

Haru and Sakura stood back to back as they looked at their opponents. "So it's good to see you Sakura," Haru said.

"Same here," Sakura said. "What are you and Emi doing here?" she asked.

"Kai had us come to save you," Haru said.

"How nice," Sakura remarked. "Spot me?" she asked.

"You got it," Haru said as he knelt down, much like when he was contacting Sakura.

The first bars of the music resounded around the field they were in.

Caught up in this madness too blind to see  
>Woke animal feelings in me<br>took over my sense and I lost control  
>I'll taste your blood tonight," Haru sang as he opened his eyes. They were two slits, his eyes a dark black with a red flower on the iris. A black, swirling pattern decorated his face and his neck, stretching across his whole body.<p>

Sakura's skin glowed; a white swirl pattern similar to Haru's barely visible on her pale skin. She smiled her eyes a clear white color.

You know I make you wanna scream  
>you know I make you wanna run from me baby<br>but know it's too late you've wasted all your time" Haru sang

Sakura crouched down, digging her hands into the grass. In front of her, white spikes of chakra came out of the ground, impaling the two Iwa ninja in front of her.

Relax while you're closing your eyes to me  
>so warm as I'm setting you free<br>with your arms by your side there's no struggling  
>Pleasure's all mine this time"<p>

Sakura ducked, another Iwa ninja flying over her. She smirked as she manipulated the plants underneath him. Thick vines and roots shot out of the ground, wrapping themselves around the ninja's neck. He grabbed and tried to pull the vines away, struggling in their hold. Sakura only looked on as he made a few choking sounds. Soon his body stopped moving, and the vines receded back into the ground, leaving the ninja's body lying limp on the ground.

You know I make you wanna scream  
>You know I make you wanna run from me baby<br>but know it's too late you've wasted all your time"

Sakura threw a kunai, using her super strength to channel into the kunai. The kunai went straight through his head, the ninja not even noticing she ever threw it.

"Stop the song Haru, we are done," she said. Both of their swirl designs retreated, and the circle around Haru disappeared.

"Sakura!" Emi said as she ran over to hug her niece. "Oh dearie, I was so worried you!"

"I am fine Emi," Sakura said with a smile.

"SAKURA!" Naruto yelled as he scooped her up in a bear hug, He spun her around, making her laugh. The others swarmed her, giving her hugs and welcoming her back.

Sakura looked over and saw Itachi looking at her. She smiled at him, and was rewarded when he smiled back, the edges of his mouth turning upward into an actual smile, not a sarcastic smirk that normally adorned his face.

She felt butterflies in her stomach as she blushed a bit under his intense gaze.

She turned back to the others, Itachi's eyes still on her. Two people noticed this in the group. One widened his eyes slightly, showing no other outward sign he saw the exchange between the two ninjas. The other narrowed his onyx eyes, gritting his teeth at Itachi.

/


	6. Chapter 6

Non-massacre Itachi and Sakura. Please enjoy

P.S. I had a reviewer asking about the song form the second chapter. I realized I forgot to post it, sorry! The song is Sahara by Nightwish, from their album Dark Passion Play.

BTW thank u so much for all the reviews!

Chapter 6

Sakura smiled as they walked into Konoha. As soon as the gates opened, a red streak flew at her.

Sakura laughed as she spun her smaller cousin in the air. "Miss me Kai?" she asked him.

Kai's head nodded as he held into her waist as she set him on the ground. Ino was next, delivering an earth-shattering hug like Kai's

Sakura found herself surrounded by friends and family, each one wanting to hug her or welcome her back. It warmed Sakura's heart to see how everyone had missed her, and how glad they all were that she had returned home safely.

"Sakura," Kakashi called over the noise. Everyone went silent. "You have to report to the Hokage," he said with a smile.

"Of course," Sakura said. She smiled and waved to her friends. "I'll talk to you all later, kay?" she said.

"Sure!" Emi said. "Party at my house!"

A cheer went up from the crowd as Sakura and her team walked to the Hokage's office. Sakura saw for a split second that Gai's team and Itachi were already there.

They walked in, and Sakura felt her mentor encase her in the biggest hug she had ever had.

"SAKURA!" Tsunade sobbed. "Thank kami you are all right! Oh, I was worried sick about you!"

"Tsu..na…de… can't… breath…." Sakura choked out.

"Sorry," Tsunade said sheepishly as she let her student go.

"Sakura!" Shizune said as she ran to give the pinkette a hug as well.

"It's good to see you Shizune," Sakura said

"I am glad you all returned safely," Tsunade said as she sat back down at her desk. Sakura stood straight up, sensing her sensei was returning to her Hokage role. "Now, we know that you did not receive the scroll, however in light of the situation that is fine."

"OH!" Sakura exclaimed. "I forgot," she said as she rummaged around in her bag. She pulled out the scroll, to her teammate's astonishment.

"You got it?" Sasuke asked, his face shocked.

"WAY TO GO SAKURA!" Naruto cheered.

"When did you get that?" Neji asked.

Sakura smiled. "While the building was being demolished I managed to find where it was being held and got it out before the tower collapsed on us," Sakura said proudly as she placed the scroll on Tsunade's desk.

"Good work Sakura," Tsunade said. Sakura could see the swell in her chest, and the twinkle in her eyes, sure signs that her mentor was very proud of her. Sakura smiled.

"Thank you shishou," she said.

"Now Sakura, go home, you deserve it," Tsunade said.

Sakura smiled and walked out of the room. Tsunade turned to the rest of the group. "Team Gai you are dismissed. Thank you for all your help. Neji, you may stay," Tsunade said.

After Team Gai exited, Tsunade looked over the rest of the ninja there. "I read the report on the mission. What happened to Sakura?" Tsunade asked.

"That bastard Akoji, that's what happened," Naruto growled.

"There is no need," Itachi said. "He is dead. I killed him myself."

"Are you sure?" Sasuke asked, glaring at his brother.

If Itachi was surprised by the sudden animosity his brother was showing him, he didn't look it. "I am sure," he said.

"Very well," Tsunade said.

"I wiped Sakura Haruno's memories using my sharingan," Itachi said. "She has no recollection of the incident.

"Are you sure?" Tsunade asked. "That is a flagrant misuse of the sharingan, Itachi…." She began.

"You did not see her," Itachi said simply. "She was so broken. I simply deemed it the best course of action."

Tsunade sighed. She looked older at that moment, older than she had looked in many years. "Very well then," she said. "What happened on that mission does not leave this room, is that clear? Now go home and get on with your lives," Tsunade said with a wave as she dismissed them.

/

Sakura smiled as she finished up her rounds at the hospital. She checked her watch, realizing her shift was over. She went to her office and removed her lab coat. Sakura grabbed her bag and slung it over his shoulder before heading out.

She smiled as the light breeze made her hair fly around her face. It felt so good to be back in Konoha. She had gotten back just in time to calm Saito and the other branches. They were about to revolt against Kai, however Sakura was glad nothing serious happened. She knew Kai could handle it; after all they had handled much worse.

Sakura decided to stop at the grocery store. She was low on food and needed some more.

An hour later, she was walking out with three large bags balancing in her arms. She shuffled them around, trying to get a grip on them.

Sakura looked to her side and realized she was outside the ANBU headquarters. She had to pass the building on her way home. Sakura never noticed it before, but then again, she usually was too tired after her shifts to notice anything.

She sighed as she shifted her bags again as she continued walking. She saw a familiar head of black hair walking out of the office.

He looked over and saw her with her grocery bags. His black onyx eyes held hers, making her breath catch in her throat. He smirked at her, his hands in his pockets as he walked over to her. "Hello Sakura," he said, his deep velvet voice rolling over the syllables of her name.

"Hello Itachi," Sakura greeted him with a smile.

"May I help you with those?" Itachi asked her.

"Sure," Sakura said as she moved the bags a little, handing two of them to Itachi. He took them easily, balancing them on his arms.

"So how are you doing?" Sakura asked. She had not seen them since they returned to Konoha a week earlier. Itachi had gone back to work and Sakura had gone back to her regular shifts at the hospital and training with her team.

"Good," he said as they navigated the streets of Konoha. "And you?"

"Same as usual," Sakura said shrugging her shoulder. "I have been working at the hospital so much; I hardly have time to train with my team."

"Really?" Itachi asked. "Do they wait for you to train?"

"Oh, no," Sakura said. "I train after my shifts at night. Sasuke and Naruto train in the mornings while I am at work," she explained.

"I see," Itachi said. "Would you like to train with me after your shifts are done?" he asked her.

"Really?" Sakura asked exited. She smiled, her face lighting up. "That would be amazing Itachi! Really, thank you!" she said happily.

Itachi smirked at her. "Of course," he said.

"Don't expect me to go easy on you though," Sakura said with a smirk.

"Same here," Itachi said.

"Wow, this will be great! I get to train against an ANBU captain," Sakura said excitedly. "Oh, here it is," she said as she walked up the steps to an apartment complex.

Sakura dug into her pocket for the keys and opened the door. She led Itachi up the stairs to the second floor of the building, and then down the hall. She stopped before the last door on the left and inserted her key into the lock.

The door swung open and Sakura walked in, Itachi behind her. Itachi walked in and saw a small couch on the wall, with a TV across from it on a TV stand. There was a doorway that led to a small kitchen, with a tiny table on the wall of the kitchen.

He looked across the room and saw that she had a small balcony outside her living room with a sliding door. He took note of the stairs that led up to what he assumed was the bedroom and bathroom. Itachi walked into the kitchen and set Sakura's groceries down on the counter. He turned around and saw a beautiful painting in the kitchen. He slowly walked up to it, his sharp eyes taking in every brush stroke and every little scene in the painting.

"Where is this?" he asked Sakura.

"Oh that," she said turning around. "That is the Haruno Village in Iwa," Sakura said softly. "I was named for the grove of Sakura trees that lead up to the village. One of the guardians of the village was said to take the form of sakura trees, so those trees are sacred," Sakura explained. "The building here," she said, pointing to the big white house in the background, "is the Main House. That is where the head of the clan lives, with the rest of the main branch. The picture was painted on the steps of the Haruno shrine. That is where all the festivals are held and where the shaman lives," Sakura explained.

"Shaman?" Itachi asked curiously.

"Yes, my clan believes that the shaman has the ability to see into the future. We also believe that he or she has a close connection with the earth and the guardian spirits, almost on par with the Main Branch's power," Sakura explained to him.

"Your clan is interesting," Itachi remarked.

"Thank you," Sakura said. She smiled. "Does the Uchiha clan have the same type of history?" she asked him.

"No, we do not," Itachi said.

"Oh," Sakura said, a little put out. She caught herself and smiled at Itachi. "Would you like dinner?" she asked him.

"Yes," he answered plainly.

"All right then," Sakura said as she took out a few mixing bowls from the cabinet. "Sit down, I'll get everything," she said. "Do you want something to drink?" she asked him.

"Just water," Itachi said. "I will be back; I have to stop at home."

"Why?" Sakura asked curiously.

Itachi smirked. "I would like to get out of my ANBU uniform, if that is fine with you," he drawled.

"Oh," sakura said blushing. "All right," she said as she turned back to the grocery bags and began putting them away.

Itachi smirked. "All right," he said as he walked out, smirking at her blush.

Sakura heard her door click shut. She sighed and shook her head, trying to get rid of her blush and organize her jumbled thoughts. Any coherent thought flew straight out the window when he flasher her that sarcastic smirk. It was so much like Sasuke's, but so much different….

Itachi was mature, he was darker, he was… he was…. He was more mysterious than his annoying little brother. Sakura had seen both of the Uchiha brothers shirtless, and she knew Itachi was built better. He was leaner, and cut better than Sasuke. He was polite, like an aristocrat, and always minded his manners when talking to people, unlike Sasuke.

Sakura finished putting away the groceries and began to cook dinner. She turned on her rice cooker, letting the rice start while she searched around for something to eat. Sakura smiled as she pulled out three pieces of fish from her freezer. She decided to make teriyaki red snapper.

Sakura looked inside the fridge to find some vegetables. She saw that she had some edamame (1) and put it in the microwave to warm it up. Sakura took out some lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and onions to make a salad with.

Sakura pulled out a pan and coated it with cooking spray. She hummed herself a tune as she put the fish in the pan to let it cook before adding the teriyaki sauce. She then set the stove to low before chopping up the vegetables to make the salad.

Sakura turned the fish and went back to the fridge. She pulled out some seaweed salad she had made before work to go with the snapper.

Finally she looked over and realized that the snapper was almost done. Sakura added the teriyaki sauce from the fridge just as she heard a knock on the door.

Sakura hurried to the door and opened it. Itachi was there, his hands in his pockets. He wore a simple short sleeves shirt and black pants. The shirt had a large circle neck, and fitted him well. He smirked at her, making Sakura's toes curl.

"Come in," she said, stepping out of his way as he entered. She ran back to the kitchen just in time to take the fish off of the stove and serve it on two plates. The rice cooker beeped and Sakura took out a spoon and served it on the plate. She added some rice and put the seaweed salad in a nice bowl. The regular salad was also in a bowl, which was set on the small table.

Sakura took a tea pot off of the back of her stove. She poured it into two tea glasses and seeped some chamomile tea in the water. She set the cups down in front of the plates and sat down across from Itachi.

"Itadakimas," they both said as they dug into the food.

"Do you like it?" Sakura asked.

"Yes," Itachi said as he ate slowly. "It is delicious."

"I am glad you like it," Sakura said with a smile. "I was not sure what tea you liked."

"Any tea is fine," Itachi said.

"So what is your favorite food?" Sakura asked with a smile.

"Tea and dango," Itachi said.

"Oh, then you will love Emi's shop," sakura said happily. "She makes the best dango you have ever had. Her tea shop is really nice."

"Is that so?" Itachi asked.

"Yeah, she gave your mom that tea basket," Sakura pointed out.

"Really?" Itachi asked a slight hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Did you like it?" she asked.

"Yes I did. The tea was delicious," Itachi said. "Did she make tea back in Iwa as well?" he asked.

"No, Emi was a full time ninja," Sakura said. "It was her dream to own her own tea shop, just like her mother's. But she was always on missions and could not take over the shop, so one of her younger sisters took it over," she explained.

"Hn," Itachi said. "How many siblings did she have?" he asked.

"Well, let's see," Sakura said as she looked down at her hands. "There was my mom, Haru's mom, Kai's mom too, and I think there were three other sisters. Oh, and I think there were seven brothers. Emi was the oldest, and my mother Jurri was the youngest," she said.

"Is your clan a large one?" Itachi asked.

"Yeah, it is," Sakura said. "There are four branches and the Main branch. There are a lot of Haruno's in Iwa, and about one hundred or more in Konoha. Some went to Raigakure, a little bit less than one hundred I think," Sakura explained.

"Why did your family leave Iwa?" he asked her.

Sakura sighed. "It wasn't safe there anymore. So some decided to leave, and some decided to stay and tough it out in the village. We haven't heard very much since we left," she said.

"Do you remember Iwa?" Itachi asked.

"Yes," sakura said as she ate her food. She did not elaborate, so Itachi decided to drop the subject.

They finished eating the rest of food in a comfortable silence. Sakura stood and began to gather up the dishes. Without a word Itachi also began to collect their dishes and bring them over to the counter next to the sink. Sakura began to fill the sink with water and soap.

Itachi began to hand her the plates. Their fingers accidentally touched, shooting lightning though Sakura's hand. She soon found that she had forgotten to breath. Sakura sneaked a peek at Itachi and saw him smirking at her. She blushed as red as a tomato and ducked her head.

"Thank you for the food," Itachi said politely. "I am sorry to leave you the dishes to clean up by yourself, but I must be going."

"Oh okay," Sakura said, still not looking at him, her face still red.

"I'll meet you here tomorrow at seven," Itachi said. "We can train then."

"Thank you Itachi," Sakura said as she smiled at him.

She saw the corners of his mouth turn upwards in a ghost of a smile. "See you then," he said with a wave.

/

Three weeks.

Three weeks of the most intense training Sakura had ever had. Even her training with Tsunade was nothing compared to what Itachi put her through almost every other night for three weeks.

The first night she had trouble just keeping up with him during their warm up. He had pinned her almost twenty times in the first hour, finally calling it a break when she almost fainted from exhaustion.

Work was terrible the next day. Sakura could hardly walk, let alone treat patients. For the first time ever, Sakura holed herself up in her office in an attempt to stay under the radar and relax her sore muscles. However, fate was not kind to her, and she found herself being called into Emi's tea shop to cover the night shift.

Needless to say, she was moody the next day. And then she met Itachi, and was pummeled even further. Sakura always though she was a good ninja, and had some great skills. However, sparring with Itachi had shown her how much she was behind him. He was in a different level altogether. It made her so conscious, so high strung that she over thought every move she made in their practice sessions, which ended with her having her ass handed to her.

Sakura gritted her teeth and pummeled through it. Never in her life had she wanted to use her kekkei genkai so much. It was infuriating, fighting someone like Itachi, and never being able to use her ultimate weapon to her advantage.

She knew the risks. She needed to keep her clan under the radar so the village elders would not notice them. Sakura also knew she needed to keep Konoha from asking questions about her kekkei genkai, which would inevitably lead them to the Haruno Main Branch. She wanted to avoid that as long as possible.

She did not want anyone to know she wasn't ordinary. So she hid her abilities, instead putting herself out there as a purely average kunoichi. She was the weak link of her team, the one everyone looked over. And for now she was fine with that. She was fine with being forgotten by Naruto and Sasuke. She was fine with Kakashi training both the boys but not her. She was fine with her average relationships, which never went anywhere.

Until he came barreling into her life.

Itachi Uchiha. The name meant so much more to Sakura than just Sasuke's older brother. She wanted to make him notice her. For the first time, she wanted to show someone her real abilities. Sakura knew she wanted to impress him, and it killed her inside to have to pretend in front of him to be average. Sakura wanted to beat him, her mind ached for it. She wanted to make him see the real her, to have him see her for who she was.

Sakura had the feeling Itachi was trying to get something out of her. She knew he was pushing her hard, almost too hard. Some of their training had bordered on aggressive, and Sakura had to heal numerous injuries to both of them.

He seemed to be slightly frustrated after the first week. Normally there was no difference, but Sakura could see the tiny knot in his forehead. She could see the hidden anger behind his onyx eyes. She could easily see the twitch in his jaw.

She was infuriating him.

It made her smirk to see him at least a little flustered. Then it dawned on her.

He was pushing her so he could see her kekkei genkai again.

Naruto and Sasuke had been after the same thing when they sparred all together, on some rare occasions. It seemed that getting her to use her clan's abilities was a game to them, almost like how they use to try taking off Kakashi's mask.

It was tiring, to say the least.

Around the second week, she noticed that Itachi had stopped wailing on her every night. He had started to show her some pointers, and give her some tips. It wasn't condescending like Sasuke, but nice and helpful. Sakura found she was glad that he had asked her to spar.

Sakura found she now looked forward to spending time with the elder Uchiha. He was quiet and stoic, but definitely had an air of maturity around him. He was always polite, but managed to verbally spar with her as well. His scathing comments were not meant to be rude, but just banter between two colleagues.

He was handsome. His high cheeks, his dark eyes… His sultry voice made her legs turn into noodles. Sakura had seen him without a shirt on their mission, and he was definitely more muscular than Sasuke, however Itachi was leaner. He was stronger, smarter, and faster….

The third week something odd started to happen. He started to warm up to her. After practice, he would walk her home like the gentlemen he was. Once or twice he came to the hospital, just to give her a bento. Sakura also noticed subtle changes, like he was taking off his shirt more when they sparred. He smirked at her whenever she blushed, almost as if he liked to see her blushing at him. He also seemed to pin her in the oddest positions when they sparred, usually with him on top of her, almost too close for comfort.

Sakura shook her head as she waited for Itachi. They sparred at an abandoned training ground, almost on the outskirts of the village. It ensured that no one interrupted their training or walked in on a large fight.

Sakura smiled as she saw Itachi walk up to their training spot. She jumped up, pulling her black gloves onto her hands. "Are you ready Itachi?" she asked him playfully.

Itachi took off his ANBU jacket and armguards, leaving them on the ground next to his discarded pack. He smirked at her. "Are you ready Sakura?" he asked, the syllables of her name rolling off of his tongue, his sultry velvet voice making shivers go up her spine.

She smirked right back, her eyes holding his, challenging him. She charged; her chakra infused fists hitting the ground and making a huge crater before Itachi jumped away.

Sakura whipped around, her arms up as she blocked a kick coming at her back. Itachi smirked as he spun around in midair, attempting to deliver another blow to her head.

She smirked as she grabbed his foot, using her super strength to throw him over her shoulder and to the opposite side of the training field.

Itachi flipped, landing lightly on his feet. He smirked at her.

Sakura saw him disappear and she closed her eyes. She fed a bit of her chakra into the ground, making contact with the roots of the trees. Her chakra spread over the complex system underneath her feet, fanning out in a split second to find Itachi.

She leaped to the left as he landed on the ground where she was just standing.

They continued on like this for most of the night. Sakura laughed as he lunged again, both of them short of breath. "Catch me if you can Itachi!" she called out to him, a smile on her face as she taunted him as she dodged another attack.

Her laugh was cut short as he caught her, pinning her to the ground with her hands above her heads. He was breathing lightly, sweat running down his brow. His soft breath fanned over her face, caressing it gently. Sakura looked up at him, their eyes locking together. Onyx met emerald as the two faced off.

Itachi bent closer, his hair touching her cheeks. Sakura's chest heaved up and down as she waited, anticipating what was about to happen.

Electricity sparked though her body as his lips gently met hers. His were soft as they tested the waters, making sparks shoot through Sakura's body.

She felt herself arching her body up into him, eagerly deepening their kiss. She opened her mouth, allowing him access as his tongue smoothly entered, coaxing her into a sinful dance. Itachi took the bait, ravishing her mouth with an intensity that made Sakura's toes curl.

They broke apart, both of them gasping for breath. They both smirked as their lips met again, with even more desperation. Itachi released her hands and wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her into him. Sakura's arms instantly went around his neck, twining with his long ponytail.

His hand wound itself in her hair, holding her to him as he kissed her. He backed away, leaving Sakura breathless. Electricity ran rampant through her body as she looked up into his onyx eyes. He smirked down at her, the corners of his mouth turned slightly upwards.

"Itachi," Sakura pouted.

"Hn," he answered. "Yes?" he said.

"You're heavy," Sakura said plainly.

Itachi blinked. He bent his head, his body shaking. Sakura's eyes widened her mouth agape as he laughed at her, a genuine smile on his face. She blinked, wondering if she should pinch herself, just to make sure she was not dreaming.

"Will you go on a date with me?" he asked her out of the blue.

"What?" Sakura asked, shocked. This was not what she expected to hear.

"_HELL YESSS!"_ Inner Sakura said. _"OMG he is sooooo hot! "_

"Shut up!" Sakura roared at her inner self.

"_No! Let me out, you are not ruining this for us!" _ Inner yelled.

Sakura shut her off as she looked at the man above her. His smirked faltered as he looked down at her, making Sakura's heart jump. "Yes! Of course I'll go out with you!" she blurted out.

His smirk widened. "Hn," was the answer she got as he leaned down and claimed her lips once again. Sakura moaned as she let him kiss her senseless.

Almost as soon as it began, he was off of her and leaning against a tree on the other side of the training ground. "Friday, I'll pick you up at seven," he said as Sakura scrambled to her feet. Without another word, he disappeared.

/

As soon as she got home, she called Ino. Sakura heard a knock on her door and opened it to see her panting best friend, less than three minutes after they had hung up.

"Spill forehead!" Ino said as she flopped down on one of the chairs in the kitchen. "You said you had some big info for me."

"I do," Sakura said. "You are never going to believe who asked me out!" Sakura said happily.

"OMG you and Sasuke are finally going out!" Ino squealed. "I knew you two were perfect for each other! OMG this is fantastic!"

Sakura laughed. "Ino, Sasuke didn't ask me out," Sakura said with a smile on her face.

"Then what is so important?" Ino asked indignantly.

"Itachi Uchiha asked me out," Sakura said as she set two cups of tea down on the table.

Ino stayed silent, her mouth agape.

"Earth to Ino, are you all right?" Sakura asked her.

"ITACHI UCHIHA!" Ino shrieked.

"Uhh…." Sakura said, not sure of what to do.

"THE ITACHI UCHIHA! ANBU AT 13 AND ONE OF THE HOTTEST MEN IN KONOHA!" Ino shrieked.

"Um….. Yes?" Sakura said hesitantly.

"What is your secret?" Ino asked. "First Sasuke now Itachi? How do you get all the hot guys?"

"What are you talking about?" Sakura asked her.

"Well, its obvious Sasuke likes you," Ino said as she took a sip of her tea. "He always sneaks glances at you when you are not looking, and he is always watching your back. Please Sakura, after you gave up on him, he finally came around," she explained.

"Oh Ino, why are you telling me this now?" Sakura groaned. "I gave up on Sasuke!"

"But wow, Itachi," Ino whistled. "He is hot. I'm sure he would have more girls, but he is such an ice prince," she said.

"I don't think so," Sakura said. "He offered to spend his spare time training me."

"Wow! Really?" Ino asked.

"Yeah, it's been hard to train with Naruto and Sasuke because of my hospital shifts," Sakura explained. "So he offered to train me."

"Uh huh..." Ino said. "And what else?"

"Well, one time I forgot to eat dinner, so he treated me to ramen when we were done training," Sakura said.

Ino squealed.

"Oh wait, there's more!" Sakura said excitedly. "When we were trapped in Iwa, I was sick so he would make me dinner and bring me breakfast in bed!"

"Oh that's so nice!" Ino said happily.

"Oh, and he kissed me," Sakura said.

"WHAT!" Ino said. "Why didn't you say that at first?" she asked.

"Oh Ino, it was amazing," Sakura said dreamily. "He was so good!"

"Wow Sakura, you lucked out," Ino said wistfully.

"I know," Sakura said. "So what's new gossip queen?" Sakura asked.

"Well, Neji slept with Tenten, but nothing's official," Ino said. "Shika is gone visiting Temari, and I heard her brothers are finally okay with the two of them dating. Kiba kissed Hinata when he was drunk. But nothing else has happened because she's still all over Naruto," Ino rattled off.

"I've been hinting at him for ages, but Naruto is as dumb as a box of rocks," Sakura said.

"Hey! We need to get them together," Ino said.

"Not a bad idea Ino pig," Sakura said. "So what do you have under your diabolical sleeve?"

Ino smirked. "Oh, you'll see. And we also have to get Tenten and Neji together so Neji can stop pining over you," she said.

"Oh Ino, you are the best!" Sakura said.

"So Sakura, does Sasuke know you are going on a date with his older brother?" Ino asked.

"He doesn't know," Sakura said. "And Ino, it has to stay that way."

"Oh," Ino said, her shoulders dropping. "I wanted to blast this one all over Konoha," Ino said sulkily.

"You can be the first to tell everyone when I give the okay," Sakura said.

"Deal," Ino said. "But keep me posted!"

/


	7. Chapter 7

Non massacre Itachi and Sakura

Btw I forgot last chapter, I was going to say something about edamame… but I forget. Oh well : )

Please enjoy!

/

Chapter 7

Sakura hummed as she got out of the shower before work in the morning. Tomorrow was her date with Itachi and she walked out with a towel wrapped around her body. She ran a comb through her wet hair, trying in vain to get the knots out of it before it dried.

The phone rang. Sakura groaned as she picked it up. "Hi, this is Sakura," she said.

"Sakura, dearie! It's Emi," Sakura heard over the phone.

"Hi Emi, how are you?" Sakura asked happily.

"I'm good. Sakura, can I ask you a favor?" Emi said.

"Sure," Sakura said.

"Well, It's just that I need someone to work tomorrow night," Emi said.

"Oh, Emi," Sakura said. "I'm going on a date tomorrow, I don't think…."

"Please dear," Emi begged. "I really need you!"

"Emi…." Sakura began.

"Please Sakura! I had three girls call out, and I need you!" Emi begged her.

Sakura sighed. "Emi, you owe me big time," she grumbled.

"Thank you Sakura!" Emi said happily. "I'll make up for it, I promise!"

"Yeah, yeah," Sakura grumbled as she hung up the phone.

She sighed and dialed the number Itachi gave her. Sakura sighed, a guilty feeling in her stomach as she waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello?" a woman's voice asked.

"Hi, can I speak to Itachi?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, of course. One moment," the voice said. Sakura heard some talking in the background for a few seconds.

"Hello?" came Itachi's silky voice over the phone.

"Hi, Itachi? This is Sakura," she said.

"Sakura, what do you need?" he asked, going straight to the point. Sakura smiled, she sensed a bit of hesitation and worry in his voice.

"Oh Itachi! I am so sorry!" Sakura said. "Emi needs me to work on Friday at her shop, can we switch out date to next week?" she asked quickly.

Sakura heard silence over the phone. "That is fine." He said. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you Itachi!" Sakura said gratefully. "You don't know how much I appreciate this!"

"It's no problem," he said.

"I promise I won't cancel on you next week!" Sakura said happily.

"You'd better not," came a drawling voice over the phone.

"I promise!" Sakura said. "Thank you!"

"Do you want to train on Saturday?" he asked her.

"I'm training with Sasuke and Naruto," Sakura said. "But we can continue on Monday."

"Of course," Itachi said. "Have a good night Sakura."

"By Itachi! And thanks!" Sakura said as she hung up.

/

Sakura sighed as she ran back to get her customer's tea order. It was only her and Emi serving the whole store, and Sakura had just worked a full week at the hospital, not to mention training with Itachi. She looked at the clock and realized that it was still an hour until the store closed.

She served the crotchety old woman her tea and returned to the kitchen. Haru smiled as Sakura walked in the doors, and handed her a serving of mitarashi dango. "Eat up Saku, we still have another hour to go," he said as he smiled at her.

Sakura flopped down onto the chair in the cluttered kitchen, groaning. "I cannot believe I cancelled my date with Itachi for this," she said as she popped the dango into her mouth

"So an Uchiha, huh?" Haru asked as he wiped his hands on the apron around his waist. "They are the ones with the stick up all of their asses, right?"

Sakura laughed. "Yeah, that's them. Itachi is a lot nicer, though. The stick isn't too far up there just yet," she said.

Haru smiled. "Good luck to you Saku. Hey, any guy would be lucky to date you," he said.

Sakura smiled. "Thanks Haru. It's good to know you guys care," she said.

"Hey, of course we care! We all love you Saku!" Haru said.

"Aww thanks," Sakura said.

Haru looked out the window from the kitchen to the restaurant. "It's thinning out now. Just the old lady and the Hyuga clan leader," he said.

"Why is he here?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, you didn't hear? He came in after you got stuck in Iwa, and apparently he has a crush on Emi," Haru said.

"But Emi is married," Sakura said.

"Yeah, but he still comes in. And so does that weird guy in the green jumpsuit, the older one," Haru said. "They both like Emi."

"I feel sorry for them," Sakura said. "Emi will chew them up and spit them back out. She's tough as nails, definitely too tough for either one of them."

"Yeah, I have a hard time seeing the Hyuga clan bullying her around," Haru said.

"Knowing her, she'll bully them," Sakura said with a smile.

Haru laughed. "Hey, she didn't get famous for nothing," he said.

Sakura smiled. "So how's your training going?" she asked. Haru was Emi's apprentice.

"Emi is teaching me some of her sword technique," he said. "It's fascinating. Most of her jutsus she invented or learned as she travelled when she was an ANBU. She's a great sensei. How are you doing training?" he asked her

"Good," Sakura said. "Naruto and Sasuke don't have time to train with me, so they stopped inviting me to train. Itachi and I have been training for the last few weeks together. He is amazing Haru, his jutsus are so fast and his speed is incredible!" she said.

"Wow, that's nice of him," Haru said.

"Yeah, I was surprised, but we kind of got to know each other when we were in Iwa. I guess he still wants to spend time with me," Sakura said.

"That's sweet of him," Haru said. "So what are we going to do about the Spring Festival?" he asked her, his voice serious.

Sakura sighed. "Oh I don't know Haru," Sakura said, her voice desperate. "Danzo is being difficult, and if I go before the Council on this, they will side with Danzo for sure."

"Why does he have a problem with our festival this year? He has never had a problem before," Haru said.

"Haru, Danzo has been trying to kick the refugees out of Konoha for years. He's slowly been limiting our rights here, and this is the icing on the cake. This is the most important festival of the year for our clan, and we can't even have it!" Sakura said.

Haru sighed. "And it's not like we can go anywhere, this is the only place we are relatively safe in. So why can't we have it outside the Village?" he asked her.

"I don't know," Sakura sighed. "Danzo wants to pass a law to ban refugee festivals now. I heard from Ino, he's trying to pass it under another law, so the elders are not aware of it."

"Oh man, I hope they don't pass that," Haru said.

Emi poked her head in the kitchen. "Hey Sakura, all the customers are gone, so I'm going to close down for the night. Help me clean up then you are welcome to go home, kay?" she said.

"Sure Emi," Sakura said as she grabbed a towel from the sink behind her. Sakura pushed open the door to the kitchen and found an empty tea shop in front of her. She smiled as she sighed and walked over to the nearest table.

She began to wipe down the tables as she hummed to herself. She looked up as the bell to the shop rung.

Her mouth dropped open in surprise to see Itachi standing there.

He walked over to her, a smirk on his face. He held up a bag of takeout food.

"You are amazing!" Sakura said as she smiled at him. "I'm sorry I had to cancel on you," she said.

"Oh! Sakura, why didn't you tell me you had someone meeting you here?" Emi said as she came out of the kitchen.

"Sorry Emi…" Sakura began to explain.

"Oh dear, it's fine. Anyways, go home Sakura. I'll take care of everything here," Emi said with a smile. "And thank you again for all your help tonight!"

"Are you sure?" Sakura asked.

"Positive," Emi said.

"Okay," Sakura said happily. She looped her arm with Itachi's and pulled him towards the door of the store.

The two of them walked down the streets of Konoha, arm and arm. "How are you?" he asked her.

"Famished," Sakura said. "And tired."

"Let me take you home," he offered.

"Sure," Sakura said. "I am so sorry to cancel on you Itachi," she said.

"It is fine. Your family needed you," he said.

"I can't believe you brought me dinner," she said happily.

He smirked. "It was worth it to see you in a kimono," he said, looking at her red kimono with a white obi. Sakura forgot she was wearing one of her kimonos. Emi's shop was traditional, so all of the waitresses wore kimonos to work.

"Really?" she said, her face heating up.

"Yes. You are very cute in it," he said, smirking down at her.

"Perv," she snapped at him. "You probably want to take advantage of me because I'm tired and weak."

"As tempting as that is, I would rather have you lucid for those kind of activities," he said, his voice making her toes curl.

Sakura blushed, her face as red as a tomato.

Itachi looked ahead of them, steering her towards her apartment. "I won't keep you Sakura. You need your sleep," he said as he walked her up to the door of her apartment.

Sakura turned to face him. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw his face gazing down on her, his pale skin standing out in the dark night. His onyx eyes pierced right through her, trapping her emerald eyes in his gaze.

He leaned down, his breath fanning over her face. Sakura smiled as she wrapped her hand around the back of his head, pulling him in to kiss her.

Itachi kissed her back, his mouth moving with hers. His free hand wrapped around his waist, pulling her flush against his body.

He let her go; giving her a rare half smile. Sakura smiled back. "Thanks Itachi," she said softly.

"My pleasure," he said softly, his deep tenor music to her ears. "If you ever need anything, you can come to me," he told her.

"Thanks. I'll remember that," Sakura said softly.

/

Sakura smiled as Ino ripped through her wardrobe, looking for something to wear for Sakura's date. "Ugg! You have nothing Forehead!" she groaned as she threw all of Sakura's clothes onto her bed.

Sakura just sighed as she sat on her bed, brushing her hair.

"Oh now this is gorgeous!" Ino said happily as she pulled out a black dress. She tossed it to Sakura who pulled it on. The dress was black, with a short, fuller skirt that was layered. The top was strapless, with a heart shaped neckline. There was silver beading and rhinestones across the bust line, scrolling down the chest of the dress in a looping pattern. It was short though, coming up about mid thigh.

"Ahh! Beautiful Sakura! Itachi will fall over dead when he sees you in that!" Ino said excitedly.

"Wow, this does look nice," Sakura said as she twirled in front of the mirror.

"Oh Sakura, you are so lucky!" Ino said. "You have such a hot man girl!"

"Thanks Ino," Sakura said.

"So, are you going to bang him tonight?" Ino asked as she sat Sakura down near her dresser. Ino reached for the straightener to work on Sakura's bangs. Sakura brushed a small bit of black eye shadow onto her eyelids, and completed the look with some nude lip gloss.

"I don't know Ino; do you think it is too soon?" Sakura asked.

"Well, you lived with him for a month in Iwa, and you have been training almost every day with him for a few weeks now," Ino said. "You've been with him for a while now."

"I just don't want him to think I'm sleazy," Sakura said.

"Well, I would just go with it," Ino advised. "He seems like he actually wants to know you. I doubt he would go through so much trouble for a one night stand."

"I just don't want it to get awkward between us," Sakura said as Ino put her hair up into a messy bun on the nape of her neck. "I like him a lot. I don't want to lose him."

"Well, why do you like him Sakura?" Ino asked.

"I think it's because I can just be myself around him," Sakura said. "There are no smoke screens, no preconceived ideas. He didn't know me as a genin, only as who I am now," she explained. "I feel like he's not judging me."

"That's good Sakura," Ino said. "He's kind of an ice prince, but I think he'll be all right."

"He's not an ice prince," Sakura said with a laugh. "He's just quiet and reserved."

"So how is he as a kisser?" Ino asked.

"Oh god Ino, he is amazing!" Sakura said. "He is definitely the best kisser I have ever met."

""There, done," Ino said happily. Sakura's hair was up in a messy bun, small tiny rhinestones peeking out from strategically placed areas.

She stood, and did a small twirl. "How do I look?" she asked.

"Amazing!" Ino said happily.

They both heard someone ring Sakura's doorbell. "Well, I have to go meet up with the other guys for dinner! Good luck girl!" she said as she slipped out Sakura's window.

Sakura grabbed a small black purse off of her bed with her money, key and a few other essentials. She pulled on her strappy high heels and ran down the steps to her door. She paused at the door, and smoothed out her skirt before opening it.

Itachi was leaning against her doorframe. He wore a pair of black dress pants that fit him perfectly. His shirt was white, and unbuttoned near his neck. He wore a black suit jacket, accentuating his tall, lean frame. His jacket was buttoned around his waist.

"You look stunning," he said to her.

"Thank you. So do you," Sakura said.

He offered her his arm, and she smiled as she slipped her arm into his. He walked with her down the steps, helping her balance in her heels. Sakura smiled as he led her down the busy streets of Konoha, the stars bright in the sky above them.

He led her to a restaurant, which was in the better side of downtown Konoha.

They went inside and Sakura gasped. The wall separating the waiting area from the restaurant had a rock waterfall complete with a koi pond. It was a very fancy, high class restaurant. There were chandeliers on the ceiling, and the whole place was slightly dark, bathed in a low glow from the lights.

"DO you have a reservation?" the waiter asked them in a snobby voice.

"Itachi Uchiha," Itachi said.

The waiter gasped. "My apologies Uchiha-sama. Please come this way," the waiter said as he took two menus and scurried to seat them. He led them to a table in the back, almost secluded. Itachi pulled out the chair for her, letting her take her seat.

He smirked at her as he opened up the menu. Sakura did the same, and saw that the menu had many different choices, most of them foreign. She let Itachi order for her, feeling very much out of her element. Sakura had never been to a place this fancy.

She smiled at Itachi as she casually asked about his missions. He wasn't exactly easy to talk to, but he just needed some prodding to eventually open up a little. The time flew, and Sakura hardly noticed what she ate that night.

All too soon, he was standing, offering her his arm. They walked down the street, arm and arm. Sakura's head felt a little fuzzy from the very strong glass of wine that they had ordered. She smiled up at him, and was rewarded with a smirk back.

/

Ino smiled as she laughed at Naruto's antics. The rookie nine were in a restaurant, eating barbeque together. Naruto was so excited that he swallowed a piece of meat whole and Sasuke had to us the Heimlich to stop him from choking.

She looked out the window and caught a glimpse of pink hair in the window behind her. Ino smiled as she saw Sakura, arm and arm with Itachi. She was laughing, a slight blush on her cheek. Itachi smirked down at her, and Ino saw her friend turn as read as a tomato.

She smiled, genuinely hoping that Sakura's date went well. Sakura was always putting others before herself. Ino was happy that for once, Sakura was putting herself first.

Unfortunately the idiot had to barge in.

"Hey! Isn't that Sakura?" a blonde idiot sitting next to Ino asked.

"Shut up Naruto," Ino hissed as she kicked the blonde underneath the table.

"Oww! What was that for?" he asked her.

"Hey, that is Sakura!" Chouji said as he looked behind him

"Wow, man she sure is smoking hot," Kiba said with a wolf grin.

"Hey Sasuke, why is your brother with Sakura?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke whipped around and spotted the couple walking down the street. Ino watched as his eyes narrowed in anger, his gaze becoming harsher. Ino noticed his glare was not directed at Sakura, like she had feared, but at Itachi.

Ino felt her stomach constricting in cold fear. She had to do something.

"Sasuke-kun!" she squealed as she threw herself at him.

"Get off me Ino!" he said gruffly as he tried to push her away.

Ino looked out the window and saw that Sakura and Itachi had moved on.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Then she saw Sasuke look out the window, searching out his brother and his teammate.

The feeling of dread came back.

/

Sakura smiled as she pulled Itachi up the steps to her apartment. She giggled when he arched his perfect eyebrow at her.

She fumbled around in her purse, looking for her keys as they stood outside her apartment door.

She gasped as she felt Itachi's large hands on her hips. His breath ghosted over her neck as he bent his head down to the nape of her hair. Sakura froze, losing all coherent thoughts as he placed a chaste kiss on the nape of her neck.

He pulled away, and Sakura remembered what she was doing. She fumbled around again in her purse, and finally found her key. She fumbled a bit with the lock, trying to get her door open.

Sakura managed to finally get her door open, and stumbled into her apartment. She giggled as Itachi walked in after her, shutting the door behind him.

She stood still as he approached her, his little body reminding her of a feral predator. He smirked, his devilishly handsome face coming closer to hers. He gently traced her face with his hand, cupping her cheek in his palm.

He leaned in, causing Sakura's breath to catch in her throat. His lips slanted down to meet hers, his arms wrapping around her waist. He pulled her body into his, as her arms cam up to wrap around the back of his neck. Sakura ran her fingers through his silky hair.

Itachi lifted her up, so her legs could wrap around his waist. Sakura's back hit her door, his lips never once leaving hers. His hands traced the curves of her body, finally ending on her ass, where he gave it a good strong squeeze.

Sakura's arms lowered, her hands tracing the delicate curves and dips of his broad back over his jacket. Her hands made their way lower, until they were down on his hips. She deepened the kiss as she grabbed his belt, trying to undo it.

Itachi's lips went faster, nipping her lower lip as he greedily devoured her. His hips thrusted into her, making a strangled moan come out of her mouth. Sakura's hands traced their way upwards, under his jacket and over his back.

He backed away, and Sakura pouted in disappointment. However, she smirked as he grabbed her hand, pulling her to her room.

He kicked the door closed as he pulled Sakura back into his arms without another word. He wanted her; he wanted her so badly that it hurt. The normally stoic Uchiha cracked as he devoured her lips and kissed her to oblivion.

Itachi pulled her over to the bed. Sakura giggled as her knees hit the bed, sending her down onto the mattress.

Itachi tore his jacket off, and practically ripped his tie off his neck. He wanted her, and he wanted her now.

Sakura's fingers played with his belt a bit, a smirk on her face.

"You're evil," Itachi panted as her hands cupped his hardened member through his pants. She gently squeezed it, pumping it up and down slowly and tantalizingly. Itachi groaned as he buried his face in her neck, her sweet perfume filling his nostrils.

His mouth latched onto her neck, his tongue tracing slow circles on it, making her body buck up into his. Sakura moaned louder as his hands slowly made their way up to her breasts, making her crazy with want. His slow pace was torturous to her.

His hands reached behind to the zipper of her dress. Sakura arched her back to let him pull her dress' back open. His nimble fingers reached behind her back, and with one swift movement he snapped her bra open, startling Sakura a little.

Itachi's fingers ghosted along her collarbone as they made their way down to the bodice of her dress. Sakura smirked as her fingers did the same, however in the opposite direction. They traced their way up his stomach, making their way to his chest, and finally to his neck.

Her fingers began to work on the buttons of his shirt. Each one provided a challenge as he was distracting her greatly.

Finally he pulled her bra off, tossing it behind him onto the floor. He pulled her dress down, revealing a pair of milky, perfectly round breasts. His mouth descended down instantly, shaking any coherent thought from Sakura's brain.

His tongue traced circled around her nipples as she arched into him. Sakura moaned as she felt him bite down gently, making her body go crazy. A raging fire burned in her lower abdomen, his ministrations only making it burn hotter.

Sakura moaned louder as Itachi's speed increased. "Ash!" she moaned as his other hand came up to roll the other nipple between his fingers.

"Itachi!" she panted as his head lifted. He looked up at her, his coal eyes practically burning with lush as he gazed up at her flushed face.

Sakura took advantage of his pause and quickly finished opening the rest of his shirt. He lifted off of her body, and pulled off his shirt before his mouth returned to her chest.

She laid back her head on the pillows, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the sweet torture Itachi was inflicting on her. His skilled hands worked on her free breast, giving her almost as much pleasure as his mouth did. Sakura just rode out Itachi's sweet torture, her body enjoying every minute of it.

"Did you like that, Sakura?" he practically purred as his head returned up to her ear.

"Yes," she breathed out.

"What do you want Sakura?" he growled in her ear.

"More," she panted. "Please Itachi… Harder…." She moaned.

Itachi's fingers found her leg, his hand moving up her thigh. His hand traced the line of her underwear, dragging out each movement slowly. Itachi's fingers moved aside her skimpy undergarments, tracing his fingers along the lips of her neither region.

His fingers found the tiny bud of her clitoris, quickly flicking it with his thumb. Sakura practically screamed as her body arched up to him as his fingers played with that one area, liquid heat practically pounding in her abdomen.

Without warning he rammed his finger into her slick, wet folds. Her body shuddered as he began to move his hand, at first slowly and deep, each thrust in making her legs feel like jelly. His speed increased; as he leaned down to kiss her.

Sakura eagerly met his lips, pulling him down to crash his lips on hers. His thrusts rocked her body.

He slowly moved his fingers out of her, making her sigh and squirm. He pulled her dress the rest of the way down her body, and discarded it on the floor.

Sakura put her hands on his shoulders and pushed, flipping him so she was straddling his waist. Sakura smirked down at him as she unbuckled his belt, pulling it off of his body. Her fingers nimbly flicked open the button on his pants, pulling them down his legs.

Itachi gasped as Sakura moved her body away from his, her head going towards his member. Sakura propped herself up on her elbows, smirking up at Itachi. Her mouth descended onto his member, making him gasp slightly.

She sucked, and heard a tiny moan out of the stoic man. Her tongue flicked the head of his member, increasing her speed slowly. Her hand reached around and began to pump the shaft, and his hand twined in her short hair.

He held her head, slowly lifting his hips to pump into her mouth. Sakura lifted her head, giving his tip one last lick. She crawled back up, trailing her tongue over the hardened plains of his toned abs and chest. Her lips met his, and he returned her kiss deeply, making her knees weak.

"Condom?" he panted as he broke away from her mouth.

"Top drawer," Sakura said.

"Get on your back," he growled to her.

Sakura quickly slid off of him, as Itachi rummaged around in her bedside dresser. Sakura laid back on the bed as Itachi's lean body loomed over hers. She gripped his broad shoulders as he bent his head, sucking ad nipping on her neck.

Sakura moaned as he thrust his member into her. Her legs lifted to wrap around his waist as he began to move, his pace slow and steady. He filled her up with each thrust, the heat in her abdomen turning into a raging forest fire.

His pace increased as his hips rocked into her, each thrust hitting her deep inside. Sakura was seeing stars as each thrust hit a spot inside her that made her feel amazing.

Sakura smirked as a devilish thought came into her head. She moved her hands from his back to his chest and pushed.

Itachi fell, his back on the bed with Sakura on top of him. She smirked as she sat on him, her hands on his chest.

Itachi smirked back as he gripped her hips, bucking up into her. Sakura threw her head back as she matched his thrusts with her hips, rolling her hips as she moved. His hands went from her hip sup to her breasts, cupping them as she bounced up and down.

Sakura increased her pace, her hips moving faster and faster as she rode him. Itachi's fingers rolled and flicked her nipples, making tiny pleasurable sparks of pain rock through her body. Itachi panted beneath her, his body hot against hers.

"Get on your knees," he hissed to her.

Sakura hopped off of Itachi, and bent down on all fours on the bed. She propped her elbows up on her pillows, giving her something to rest on as she felt Itachi come up behind her.

She felt him enter her with a deep thrust, burying himself completely in her. Sakura's body rocked with the intrusion, a throaty moan escaping her lips. He stayed still before moving ever so slowly, drawing himself almost all the way out before slamming into her again.

Sakura's moans got louder as he thrust into her. Each thrust was turning her legs into jelly, as he buried himself deep inside her folds. His pace increased as he gripped her hips with his hands, pulling her into him so he could go deeper.

Itachi sped up as he pounded into her, making her body jolt with each thrust. Sakura felt herself spiraling closer and closer, her moans and pants becoming louder and louder as the inferno in her lower body consumed her.

"Itachi!" he cried as he growled, thrusting harder than ever.

Sakura felt herself climax fast and hard. With a final yell, she felt her body convulse around Itachi's member, her knees shaky as she rode out the waved of pleasure that coursed through her body from his fast movements.

She felt Itachi's member throb inside of her, and she knew he was joining her climax. Sakura felt his hands release her hips, and she collapsed forward onto the pillows, absolutely exhausted. Itachi flopped down next to her, pulling her into his arms.

His body was slick with sweat, and so was hers as he pulled the covers of the bed over them. "Good night Sakura," he whispered in her ear. Sakura curled up next to him, her head on his chest as his arm was around her.

Sakura closed her eyes, and in an instant she was fast asleep.

/

Sakura groaned as sunlight hit her eyes, making her aware it was morning. She felt like a ton of bricks had hit her. Her legs hurt, the muscles sore, and there was a dull throb in her lower abdomen.

She snuggled back into her pillow, whose arms wrapped around her.

"_Wait a second,"_ her inner thought.

"Oh yeah, I closed the window before I left last night," Sakura thought back as she went back to relaxing.

"_No! Not that!"_ inner said.

"Shut up, I want to sleep more," Sakura mumbled to her other mind.

"_Ok smart one, what happened after you went to the restaurant?"_ inner asked.

"Well…." Sakura started to retort.

Wait a minute….

Pillows don't have arms.

They also don't breath.

Sakura's eyes shot open as she sat up, a jolt of electricity running through her body. She gasped as she looked down to see a naked Itachi lying next to her in her bed.

"Oh no," Sakura said softly.

"Go back to sleep Sakura," Itachi said as he cracked open an eye. "IT's too early."

Sakura screeched as she jumped out of the bed, pulling the sheets around her body. Itachi bolted awake, sitting up as he eyes her warily.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura yelled at him. "You shouldn't be here! This is so bad!"

"Sakura, calm down," Itachi said.

"I'm sorry Itachi," Sakura said, her eyes starting to tear. "This was a mistake!"

At the same time, Sakura bolted for the door, and Itachi bolted for her. He was faster and stronger, grabbing her around the waist just as she reached for the doorknob. He spun her around at lightning speed, slamming her body into the back of the door, his hands holding each of her wrists above her head so harshly that Sakura was scared he would break them.

His sharingan was blazing as Sakura looked up at him. Her chest constricted as he glared down at her, making a bubble of fear rise up inside of her. Itachi was downright scary when he was pissed, and instinctively Sakura shivered.

"What the hell Sakura?" he demanded as she looked away from him. "Why are you saying that?"

"Please… Itachi…." She whimpered. "Let me go," she pleaded.

"NO!" Itachi roared. Sakura cringed, knowing that the ice prince had finally cracked, and she was directly in his line of fire. "Dammit Sakura, I like you! This wasn't a mistake, and I am not about to let you walk out like this!" he said.

"Itachi…" Sakura tried to plead with him.

"How is this a mistake Sakura? How?" he demanded.

"Because you aren't good for me!" Sakura shrieked back at him, tears streaming from her eyes. "I'm a refugee, Itachi! I have no money, no clan, nothing to offer you! I still don't see why you even waste your time on someone like me!" she yelled at him.

"Because you are you Sakura!" he told her. Sakura's mind went numb at his words. Her eyes widened, as her mind comprehended what he was saying to her. "I don't want anyone else! I like you just the way you are," he said, a slight blush across his cheeks.

"Really?" Sakura asked him, her voice hopeful.

His lips crashed down on hers, his mouth savaging hers. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her into him. His tongue moved inside her mouth, tasting every single crevice it could reach. Sakura's arms wrapped around his back, holding onto him tightly.

He lifted her up in the air, smirking as he threw her back down onto the bed.

"Now, where were we?" he said with a sexy smirk on his face.

/


	8. Chapter 8

Hi everyone, thank you so much for the reviews I got for chapter 7. They were very nice to read.

Enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 8

Itachi felt the sun shine in through the window, scattering over his face, warming his skin. He blinked his vision blurry. He rubbed his eyes, and his vision cleared a little. The sun was shining in Sakura's windows, right onto his face.

He sighed and looked to the side of his body, seeing the woman next to him. Her short hair was lying over her face, the strands moving slightly with each breath she took. The sheets of the bed covered her body, her back facing towards him.

Itachi sat up, his hand on his head as a pounding headache hit him at full force. He always got the headache and migraines, ever since he first acquired his sharingan. He assumed most Uchihas also lived with the pain, however like him they were too stubborn and proud to admit they were in pain.

His sharp ears heard a knock at Sakura's door. Someone was thumping loudly on the wood.

Sakura murmured in her sleep.

The knocking continued. Itachi felt his headache grow, making him more and more irritated.

He finally had enough. He got up, prepared to give whoever it was, a piece of his mind.

Naruto, Sasuke, Sai and Kakashi were outside Sakura's door. "Man, when is she gonna come out? We have to train today!" Naruto whined as he banged on Sakura's door.

"She's a girl," Sasuke drawled. "Who knows, she's probably doing her hair or something," he scoffed.

Sai was drawing in his sketchpad. "Ugly is just not a morning person," he said as he sketched.

"Guys, leave Sakura alone," Kakashi said, as he looked up from his Icha Icha book. "She probably is sleeping. Remember, Sakura works a full day at the hospital before she comes and trains with us. Give her a break," Kakashi lectured them.

"Sakura, open up!" Naruto yelled.

The door was thrown open and all four of the Konoha ninjas just stared.

An incredibly pissed off Itachi was standing there in only his black boxers. His eyebrow was twitching, his face murderous.

Sakura's team stared, their mouths open.

"Uhh…. Is Sakura…?" Naruto started to ask.

"She's not coming today," he snapped at the blonde, before slamming the door in their faces.

"What was….?" Naruto began.

"Was that your brother?" Sai asked, his smile gone.

"Yes," Sasuke growled, as he gritted his teeth.

"We need to check this out," Kakashi said as he closed his book.

"You perv! You just want to spy on them fucking!" Naruto accused his sensei.

"Stop it Naruto that is my brother" Sasuke snapped at him.

"Yeah, the lucky bastard is having sex with Sakura!" Naruto said. "That is unfair! Why do all the girls fall for you Uchihas?" he grumbled.

"Let's go see what exactly is going on here," Sai said. All four of them jumped onto a tree behind Sakura's window, hiding in the branches.

They saw the window was open, giving them a good view of Sakura's room. They watched as Itachi walked into the room, his hand rubbing his forehead. From the bed, they spied Sakura's hair as she propped herself up on her elbows.

Itachi walked back to the bed, a smirk plastered on his face. The team saw his lips move as he talked to Sakura. She moved over as he climbed back into her bed, pulling her body into his arms.

"Ugg, this is nasty," Naruto said as Itachi pulled Sakura beneath him, kissing her passionately.

"This is gold!" Kakashi said. "I haven't seen passion like this in a long time!"

"Hn," Sasuke said as he turned away from the scene they were spying on him.

"I don't get it, why is he going for the neck?" Sai said his voice curious.

Naruto sighed. "Trust me dumb ass, when you finally get some ass, you'll get it," he said.

"You haven't gotten any Naruto," Sasuke snapped.

"Yes I have!" Naruto said indignantly. "I've been going out with Hinata for almost a year now! Don't tell me you are still holding your v-card teme?" Naruto said.

"All right boys, lets calm down," Kakashi said.

"Says Konoha's man whore," Sasuke snapped at his sense.

"I can't help that women are attracted to me," Kakashi said simply. "I'm just too good for one woman."

"Disgusting!" Naruto said. "I so do not want to hear that from my sensei!"

Sasuke sighed and closed his eyes. In a flash he felt his body flying through the air, before he hit the rooftop of the building next door. He looked around to see what hit him, and saw nothing.

Suddenly, Naruto flew out of the tree with a shout, and Sai flew out soon after him. "What the hell!" Naruto yelled as Kakashi was also thrown out of the tree.

"Kakashi sensei, what is going on?" Naruto asked him.

"Itachi realized we were spying on them," Kakashi said evenly.

Soon another body was thrown out of the tree, and skidded to a halt near Naruto. "Pervy Sage!" Naruto yelled as his sensei Jiraya grinned at them, looking like the Cheshire cat.

"Uh, hi guys," Jiraya said.

Itachi jumped down from the tree, wearing only a pair of loose sweatpants. He glared at all of them, his eyes cold and emotionless. "Don't let me catch any of you spying again," he told them.

"You got it!" Naruto said his voice shaky.

"Good," Itachi said as he disappeared.

He growled slightly as he appeared back in Sakura's room. He knew Sasuke would cause trouble for them; he just had a sinking feeling about it. For the most part, Itachi did not want his father within ten feet of Sakura if he could help it.

He sighed as he looked down at the sleeping Sakura in her bed. She looked so peaceful; he just couldn't bring himself to stay mad at Sasuke. He sighed, thinking that he would just deal with all of this later. For now, he just wanted to get back into bed, and wrap his arms around the pink haired woman lying there.

So that was exactly what he did.

/

Itachi was sitting at the table for dinner. It was silent as always, none of the Uchiha's saying anything. Sasuke had a smirk on his face that Itachi knew meant he was up to something. His father simply ate as he read the paper, ignoring everyone else.

"So Itachi, you haven't been home lately," his mother said with a smile. Mikoto was, in Itachi's opinion, the most patient woman in the world to put up with his father for so many years. He had no clue how she did it, and she even raised both him and Sasuke, and Itachi had to admit, he and Sasuke were no better than their father.

"Itachi found a woman," Sasuke piped up.

Oh Itachi cold have killed him.

He sent Sasuke the coldest glare he could muster, trying to convey to his brother to SHUT UP.

"What?" Fugaku snapped as he looked up from his paper.

Oh no, this is bad, Itachi thought.

"Who is she?" he asked Itachi, his dark gaze fixed on his eldest son.

"Sakura Haruno, my teammate," Sasuke piped up.

"What clan is she from?" Fugaku asked.

"Oh! Is she Emi's niece?" Mikoto asked. "Emi is such a nice lady."

"She is from the Haruno clan," Itachi said. "And yes, she is Emi's niece."

"Is that one of those refugee clans?" Fugaku asked his voice sharp. Itachi saw a small spot of red on his face, and the way his teeth practically ground together. His father was definitely getting mad, which was never a good thing.

"Refugee?" Sasuke asked, his voice surprised. "Wait, Sakura isn't a refugee, is she?" he asked.

"Yes she is Sasuke," Mikoto said, her voice holding a twinge of sadness. "She and her clan escaped from Iwa a few years ago."

"There is no way I am letting my son, my heir, have anything to do with a refugee!" Fugaku said.

"Father, stop overreacting," Itachi said, his voice bored.

"I am not!" Fugaku said. "You are the heir to the Uchiha clan, and you will eventually marry someone with standing in this village, not some nameless refugee with nothing!"

"You have not even met her, Sakura is the Hokage's apprentice," Itachi said calmly. "She saved my life when we were left in Iwa, and she nursed me back to heath."

"She has no status," Fugaku said, his voice calmer, making Itachi a bit nervous. "She has no clan to back her, and she has nothing to offer the clan."

"At least meet her," Itachi said.

"No," Fugaku said. "Break up with this girl tomorrow," he said as he went back to his paper.

"No, I will not," Itachi said.

The whole table went silent. Mikoto and Sasuke stared wide eyes at Itachi. Everyone knew Itachi did not follow everything the clan said, but he never went directly against Fugaku. At least, until now. Fugaku just stared at his son, shocked.

"Sakura is a fine woman, if you would just meet her," Itachi said calmly, looking into his father's shocked face.

"Fugaku simply stared at his son.

"And furthermore, her clan is actually very important to the village," Itachi continued. "Most of her relatives own businesses that make up most of the downtown. They have a lot of sway over the non-shinobi living in the village."

"I see," Fugaku said. "However, I still do not approve."

"Fugaku, dear," Mikoto said as she stood from her place at the table. "May I see you in the kitchen?" she said, her eyes icy cold just like the rest of the Uchiha's.

Fugaku nodded and followed his wife into the kitchen.

Itachi and Sasuke heard nothing but a few murmured words here and there. Itachi glared at his brother, his full loathing for Sasuke clear across his face. "What the hell was that for?" he growled at his brother, too low for his parents to hear.

"I don't like you together with Sakura," Sasuke growled back. "She is my teammate, not yours."

"You gave her up years ago Sasuke," Itachi snapped at his brother.

"I realized my mistake," Sasuke said harshly as he glared at his brother. "I was going to ask her out, if you had not stolen her behind my back."

"Do you really think father will approve if it's you?" Itachi asked him, his voice mocking. "You are an idiot Sasuke."

"Maybe, but he will be much more lenient with me, since I'm not the heir," Sasuke said with a smirk. Itachi narrowed his eyes, knowing Sasuke had a point there. Itachi would almost have to marry someone with high social standing in Konoha, whereas his brother was free to go after whomever he wanted.

"We'll see," Itachi said.

Mikoto and Fugaku returned to the table, both of them silent. They sat down, and Itachi waited for his father to speak.

"We have decided to invite this girl over for dinner," Mikoto said. "That way, we can be polite to her family, who were so kind to us when you disappeared, Itachi," she explained. "It would be rude to turn away this girl, without at least giving her a chance."

Fugaku just continued to read his paper, completely ignoring what his wife was saying. He looked over his paper to glare at his son before continuing to read.

"Thank you mother," Itachi said, making sure not to look at his father.

"You're welcome Itachi," Mikoto said with a smile. "I cannot wait to meet this girl. I hope she is as nice as the rest of her family," she said wistfully.

"We will see, mother," Itachi said with a smirk at his younger brother.

Sasuke was glaring at Itachi, and Itachi could easily see he was fuming.

Itachi smirked; he loved messing with his younger brother.

/

"What!" Sakura said, as she stared at Itachi over their dinner.

"I said that Friday night you are coming over my house for dinner. My parents want to meet you," Itachi said calmly as he took a sip of the tea that Sakura made him. He had to admit, one of the perks of being at Sakura's house so much was she always had excellent tea. Emi made sure her niece never had to worry about that.

"Why?" sakura asked incredulously.

"They are curious," he said serenely.

"Bull shit," Sakura said. "What do they really want?" she asked him.

"They just want to meet you," Itachi said.

Sakura groaned. "Will Sasuke be there?" she asked him.

"Of course," Itachi said.

"Oh great, this just makes life so much better," Sakura said sarcastically.

"And he invited Naruto," Itachi said, deciding to just get everything out at once, and hopefully avoid her anger.

Sakura groaned again.

"It will be okay," Itachi said, as he smiled at her.

"Shut your face," Sakura said, her words muffled by her hands as she held her face in them.

Itachi just smirked at her as he patiently sipped his tea.

/

"Itachi," Sakura groaned.

"No, you are not getting out of this," Itachi said as he pulled her hand.

She sighed as he pulled her down the street to the gates of the Uchiha compound.

Sakura paused, looking up at the gates. Itachi looked back at her, as he felt her still. Her eyes were wide as she stared up at the gates. He was shocked as he saw her eyes were wide in fear. The emotion gripped her, making her body shake as her wide emerald eyes looked up at the Uchiha gates.

"Sakura," he called to her.

And just like that the spell was broken. Sakura shook her head, before smiling at him. "Yes?" she said.

He could tell she was faking it. He could feel her hands were clammy, he could see her smile was totally fake.

Itachi smirked back at her, deciding to let it go. Something about the Uchiha compound had shaken her to the core. He remembered his mother had mentioned how Sakura's family let it go, in passing, that the compound reminded them of their old home. Maybe that was it.

But what about her home in Iwa scared her so much? Itachi had no answer for that, and he hardly doubted he would be getting one any time soon. It seemed whenever their home came up, the Haruno's clammed up about it.

He recalled his father ranting about how there had been a brawl at the reading of Sakura's will. His father figured out three things there. 1 was that they were all crazy. 2 was that singing and music was more important to Haruno's than breathing. And number 3 was that the branch members, like Kai and Emi, hated the Main branch, which, as his father guessed, must have been the source of all of their troubles. Something happened to the Haruno's, and they were not telling anyone what it was.

Itachi remembered when Sakura sang in front of Akoji. Something about her singing influenced her chakra. Itachi speculated that it might be some form of kekkei genkai, but he was not sure about it. He needed more proof.

What he really needed was to get Sakura to open up to him. He looked down at the woman next to him, wishing she would trust him with whatever she and the rest of them were hiding.

They passed through the main street of the compound, Sakura getting odd looks from the other Uchiha's. Most of them heard about how Itachi was dating outside of the clan, and he smirked as some sent a curious look their way.

"Hey Itachi," Sakura said.

"Yes?" he answered.

"Why are there so few people?" she asked him.

Sakura had noticed it as soon as she walked in. There were very few people walking around the compound, and most of the houses seemed deserted.

"The Uchiha clan is declining," Itachi said quietly. "No one from our generation is getting married, and the number of children is going down drastically. WE are dying out," he said.

"Really?" Sakura asked her eyes wide. "Does anyone know about this?"

"My father and the other clan leaders are aware, but they are not doing anything to change it," Itachi said.

"Maybe it's because you Uchiha's are too stuck up to get laid," Sakura suggested, a glint in her eyes.

Itachi's eyes fixed on her, a glint in them as he smirked at her.

He felt Sakura squeeze his hand. "Any way I can back out?" she asked, her eyes once again sparkling brightly in the candlelight.

"No," Itachi drawled lazily. His eyes roamed over her. Sakura wore a simple white skirt with black leggings and sandals. Her shirt was a red halter top that was loose around her waist and flowed down to the top of her skirt. She wore a knitted white shawl and a simple silver necklace.

"Fine," Sakura sighed.

Itachi led her into the biggest house at the end of the compound. It was a very traditional style house, as Sakura guesses it would be. The Uchiha clan seemed very traditional.

She took off her shoes when she entered, as did Itachi. Itachi smiled as he walked her down the hallway into the house.

It was so large Sakura gasped. The walls were all freshly polished and clean. The floors were carpeted, so Sakura's footsteps made no sound. Itachi led her down the hall, his face set in his usual emotionless mask. Sakura sighed, knowing he was not going to let the mask slip any time soon.

They turned into a room, and Sakura was brought face to face with Fugaku Uchiha.

He was sitting at a low table, traditional Japanese style. The paper was in his hands, as he turned a page.

"Father," Itachi said, his voice emotionless. "This is Sakura," he said, his hand on her back, in a silent show of support.

Sakura bowed her hands together. She raised her head, to see that Fugaku had not even spared a glance at her.

"She is not good enough for you," Fugaku said as he turned a page of his paper. "Plain and common, like the rest of them.

"How would you know, Uchiha-san, you have not even looked at me," Sakura said, her voice icy.

The Uchiha head turned to look at her, surprise written all over his face. His eyes narrowed as they assessed her, his black orbs holding her own emerald ones. Sakura stared straight back, as if daring Fugaku to make the next move.

Sakura smirked. "It is a pleasure to meet you Uchiha-san," she said, her voice sickly sweet.

"Hn," Fugaku said as he went back to his paper.

Sakura turned to Itachi. "I'll go see if your mother needs help," Sakura said.

Sakura left the two men and walked into the kitchen. A beautiful woman, with a kind smile was there, dinner cooking merrily on the stove. She turned and smiled at Sakura, and Sakura instantly saw where Itachi got his looks from.

"Hello," the woman said as she walked over, shaking Sakura's hand. "I am Mikoto, Itachi's mother. You must be Sakura," Mikoto said with a kind smile.

"It is nice to meet you," Sakura said. "I wanted to know if you needed any help."

"Oh thank you, but I am fine," Mikoto said as she spooned dinner onto some serving plates. "Help me carry this, please?" Mikoto asked.

Sakura helped Mikoto carry out the plates of food, and then the teapot. By the time everything was out, Sasuke and Naruto had come downstairs, the smell of Mikoto's food making their stomachs growl loudly in anticipation.

"This looks delicious Mrs. Uchiha," Naruto said in delight as he looked at all the food.

"Thank you Naruto," Mikoto said politely, a smile on her face.

"So you actually like something other than ramen?" Sasuke asked him.

"I like ramen because it was all I could cook as a kid," Naruto said simply. "I didn't have anything else, so I learned to like it. But once in a while it's nice to have a good meal," he said with a smile. "But nothing beats Sakura's beef stew!" he said.

"Beef stew?" Mikoto asked. "What is in it?" she asked.

"It has many different spices in it," Sakura explained. "My mom use to grow them in her garden. You rub the spices into the meat before you put it in the stew, add more spices, and let it simmer on a low heat for about two hours."

"It sounds delicious," Mikoto said. "Naruto, your mother Kushina used to make an amazing homemade ramen. It was absolutely delicious."

"You knew my mom?" Naruto asked his eyes wide.

Mikoto smiled. "WE were best of friends," she said.

"Wow," Naruto said softly. "I never knew."

Mikoto smiled. "Your parents were wonderful people Naruto. Stop buy some time, and I'll tell you all about them," Mikoto offered.

"If I get food like this all eh time, I'll never leave!" Naruto joked.

"Yeah, now you can eat someone else's food," Sakura said with a smile.

"Aww, Sakura-chan, you just have the best cooking!" Naruto said. "It's different!"

"I always wondered, why do you cook with so many spices?" Sasuke asked.

"It's a clan thing," Sakura said. "There is an old saying that the Haruno's are as spicy as their food, and we definitely like our spices," she explained.

"Where exactly is the Haruno clan located?" Mikoto asked.

"Northern Iwa," Sakura said. "The village is nestled in Iwa's northern mountain range."

"Where did Emi learn to make her tea, its great!" Naruto asked as he took a sip of his own tea.

"Well, we need something to help cool down all those spices in our cooking," Sakura said. "So we developed a lot of different tea recipes. Most of them are homemade."

"Emi must have a thriving business then," Mikoto said.

"Yes, she does," Sakura said with a smile.

"Why tea, though?" Mikoto asked. "Emi was a great Iwa shinobi; wouldn't she do something like that?"

"Refugee's are not allowed to be shinobi," Sakura said, her voice having a hard note to it. All the Uchihas instantly picked up on it, however Naruto remained oblivious.

"And good riddance," Fugaku said.

"Fugaku!" Mikoto snapped at her husband.

"Excuse me?" Sakura asked.

"Refugees take away jobs and homes form hard working Konoha citizens," Fugaku explained. "If they were allowed to take shinobi jobs too, they would betray us in a heartbeat."

"You have no idea!" Sakura snarled as she stood, her eyes blazing. "You have no idea what it is like!"

"Your kind takes away from Konoha citizens," Fugaku snapped at her. "Danzo has been trying to get your lot kicked out for years, and I support him."

"And where will we go?" Sakura challenged him. "What would we do? We had nothing when we came here, and we made a life here! You can't take that away from us!"

"Sakura, sit," Itachi said, his hand gently griping her wrist. Sakura sat back down, as she glared at Fugaku.

"You're a pompous fool," Sakura snarled at Fugaku. "I bet you have never spent one moment in prison, never seen your family die…"

"What did you say girl?" Fugaku said his tone icy cold.

"I said you're a pompous fool, and your clan is full of stuck up pricks," Sakura said, her eyes gleaming as they dared Fugaku to challenge her.

"Watch your mouth," Fugaku said. "I gave you a chance, but I see there is no way that one of your kind could ever be with my son."

"My kind?" Sakura asked in disbelief. "Do you think you are better than me, Uchiha-san? My family was here before shinobi ever stepped foot on this land! You're family is nowhere near as ancient and powerful as my clan was."

"Was," Fugaku said.

Sakura tilted her head high. "My mother and father gave their lives to get me here to Konoha. When you disrespect my people, you disrespect the sacrifices they made," she said calmly. Sakura closed her eyes, breathing deeply for a few seconds. She knew Fugaku had been goading her, and she fell into his trap. She had to regroup and keep it together, not for her, but for Itachi. He was the only reason she had even agreed to this dinner.

"How long has your family been in Konoha?" Mikoto asked her.

"About seven years," Sakura said.

"What jobs does our family hold?" Fugaku asked.

"Fugaku!" Mikoto snapped at him.

"Most are business owners," Sakura said. "Emi has her tea shop, and a few others own restaurants, a couple own grocery stores. Some own herbal stores and one distant cousin runs a bookstore. However, the bulk of our family works regular jobs, and many are landowners," she explained.

"Why so many different occupations?" Sasuke asked, as Naruto stuffed his face.

"We all had different jobs back at the village," Sakura said. "The entire clan is completely self-sufficient. There is almost no connections to any cities outside of the Haruno Village, and there is only one trading caravan that comes through once a year. We have to make or grow all of our resources."

"Makes sense," Mikoto said. "So how long have you and Itachi been together?"

"A few weeks," Itachi said.

"Don't make it permanent," Fugaku said calmly.

Sakura wanted to snap at him so bad! He was pissing her off in a way Sasuke could never dream of.

"Father," Itachi said his voice cold. "Sakura is our guest. Please treat her as such."

"Hn," was the answer Fugaku gave them.

An Uchiha ninja appeared in the room in a puff of smoke. He and his teammate bowed to Fugaku. "Excuse us, Uchiha-sama, but there was a break in into the compound," one said.

"What?" Fugaku snapped.

""Shisui, who is it?" Itachi asked.

"We do not know," the first ninja said, with a wink at Sakura.

"How long ago did they breach the wall?" Fugaku asked his black eyes sharp.

"Just a few minutes. What are your orders?" Shisui asked.

As soon as Fugaku opened his mouth, there was a crash in the kitchen. Everyone jumped and looked around, as Haru came out of the kitchen, leaning against the doorway, rubbing his head. He had a lopsided grin on his face as he surveyed the room.

"Please excuse me for interrupting you Uchiha-sans," he said, bowing to Mikoto and Fugaku.

"That's the intruder!" Shisui said, pointing to Haru.

"Sakura, we need you now," Haru said, his smile gone. "It's Uncle Jiro, he's dying."

"What!" Sakura said as she jumped up. "Lead the way!"

She turned, bowing to everyone in the room. "I'm sorry to leave, but thank you for your hospitality," she said quickly.

"Come on Sakura!" Haru said. "We have to hurry!"

"Okay," Sakura called as the two ran out of the room.

"How did he get by you?" Fugaku asked.

"He jumped the wall," Shisui said. "Then we chased him, but he kind of… disappeared. He reached his hand out and managed to disappear into a tree. It was like his body was being sucked into it. I have never seen anything like it," Shisui said.

"You may go," Fugaku said.

Shisui smiled at Itachi. "So that was the Sakura I have heard so much about. She seems nice," he said.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Itachi asked coldly.

"Sure, but poking at you is just too much fun!" Shisui said with a smile as he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

/

Itachi awoke to a siren going off in the village. He jumped up, and pulled on his ANBU uniform in a snap. He rushed down the stairs in time to see Sasuke and his father running out of their rooms, their shinobi gear on.

The three of them ran to the Hokage tower as fast as they could. AS they passed the houses in the compound, the other Uchiha shinobi joined them. Together they gathered at the Hokage tower with all of the other shinobi.

Tsunade was standing outside, waiting for them.

"Everyone, listen up!" she barked at them. "An intruder has entered the village. It is an unknown monster, large and is currently downtown destroying the buildings. "Stay with you squad leaders and wait for Yamanaka-san to contact with further instructions. DO NOT engage immediately unless there is a life in danger! Move out!" she commanded.

Itachi looked around and saw with a jolt that Sakura was not there. He silently hoped she was all right.

The many shinobi moved out silently, each with their own squad. Itachi, behind his ANBU mask, saw his cousin Shisui and his other squad member next to him. "What do you want to do captain?" Shisui asked him as they jumped from roof to roof.

Itachi spotted it with his sharingan on.

They landed on a rooftop and saw it. It was a large creature that blended into the night. It was human-looking, its shoulders and body slightly bigger than a large man. Its arms were long and large, with claws on the end of its fingers.

There were horns on its head, along with two slanted, white eyes. The creature was walking forward, ignoring those around it.

The other shinobi squads had dropped down on the roofs, surrounding the creature. It paid no attention to them, as its arm whipped out into one of the buildings. Itachi's eyes narrowed as he watched the abandoned building collapse to the ground.

He heard the soft beginning of a song. A breeze blew past them, carrying whispers on the wind.

The creature shifted, its nose pointing towards the full moon.

Itachi watched carefully as he heard the first notes of the song.

"_The_ _end_," a voice sang, holding out the notes softly on the wind.

The creature turned its head, almost as if it was looking to find the music.

"_The_ _songwriter's_ _dead_." The voice sang.

The creature bounded off, surprising the Konoha ninja. Itachi motioned to his team and they followed the creature, along with the other squads.

"_The blade fell upon him" _

"_Taking_ _him_ _to_ _the_ _white_ _lands_" the voice sang as the shadow monster bounded through the trees with surprising speed. It stayed on the forest floor, darting in and out as it waved expertly between the many trees on the outskirts of Konoha

"_Pick_ _up_ _the_ _pace_," Itachi barked to his squad.

"_Of empathica,_

"_Of_ _innocence_," the voice sang. Itachi noticed the creature slowing down. They had followed it to the outer forests near the village, away from the citizens.

"_Empathica_

"_Innocence_," the voice sang.

Itachi almost gasped as the creature stopped. The music picked up, becoming fiercer and faster.

A white circle appeared around the creature, encompassing a huge area. The wind whipped around the ninja in the trees around the creature, as the white circle began to creep upwards, almost like paint drips in the opposite direction.

The edges came together to create a white dome, which held the creature. It shimmered beneath eh moonlight. On the sides, dark figures were magnified, almost like shadows of people. They were dancing in sync, moving in perfect, fluid motions to the fast music.

There was a lull in the music before Itachi heard it.

"_The dreamer and the wine_

_Poet without a rhyme_

_A widow writer torn apart by chains of Hell_" a female voice sang as the figures on the dome dances.

"Keep your eyes open and be ready for everything!" Itachi heard Tsunade bark somewhere to his left.

"_One last perfect verse_

_It's still the same old song_

_Oh Christ, how I hate what I have become" _

_Take me home"_ the voice sang, holding the notes out.

"_Get away, run away, fly away_

_Lead me astray to dreamer's hideaway" _other voices chimed in to sing together. Itachi picked out a few male voices among the female voices, and he wondered for the first time if those shadows on the dome were the shadows of the people inside.

"_I cannot cry 'cause the shoulder cries more_

_I cannot die, I, a whore for this cold world."_ Itachi looked around to see the jounin and chunin of Konoha circling around the dome. They were encompassing it, so when the dome fell, whatever was in there would be trapped. His sharp eyes picked out Sasuke's team to his right. He looked, and saw that Sakura had not joined them.

"_Forgive me,_

_I have but two faces_

_One for the world,_

_One for God,_

_Save me!"_

_I cannot cry 'cause the shoulder cries more_

_I cannot die, I, a whore for this cold world."_ The music slowed again. Itachi knew that the main singing voice sounded so familiar, but he could not place it….. He heard the beautiful female voice before, however for the first time his mind was not able to remember.

_My home was there and then, those meadows of heaven_

_Adventure-filled days_

_One with every smiling face." _Itachi looked over, a pit of dread in his stomach when he saw Sakura's team without her. He instantly recognized the pit as nervousness; however it was a new emotion to him. He never cared so much about losing one person before.

_Please, no more words_

_Thoughts from a severed head" _

Somehow the voice seemed so familiar.

_No more praise,_

Sakura…

_Tell me once my heart goes right_

Itachi knew he heard it somewhere….

_Take me home_

Sakura…..

Then it hit him.

Sakura was the one singing.

_Get away, run away, fly away_

_Lead me astray to dreamer's hideaway_

_I cannot cry 'cause the shoulder cries more_

_I cannot die, I, a whore for this cold world_

_Forgive me,_

_I have but two faces_

_One for the world,_

_One for God,_

_Save me_

_I cannot cry 'cause the shoulder cries more_

_I cannot die, I, a whore for this cold world!"_

That's when Itachi saw it. From the top of the dome, it began to turn black. The black ooze was taking over the white dome as the music sped up. It sank to the bottom, turning the once black shadows on the side white.

Itachi's heart froze as he heard a male voice that was distinctively not Sakura's.

"_2nd robber to the right of Christ_

_Cut in half – infanticide_

_The world will rejoice today_

_As the crows feast on the rotting poet_

_Everyone must bury their own_

_No pack to bury the heart of stone_

_Now he`s home in hell, serves him well_

_Slain by the bell, tolling for his farewell" _the male voice sang.

Itachi almost sighed in relief when the dome began to turn white again, very rapidly. He heard Sakura's voice singing, and was flooded with relief, for now.

"_The morning dawned upon his altar_

_Remains of the dark passion play_

_Performed by his friends without shame_

_Spitting on his grave as they came_" the two voices harmonized at the end. Itachi sat back, wondering what would happen once the dome came down when the song was over.

_Get away, run away, fly away_

_Lead me astray to dreamer's hideaway_

_I cannot cry 'cause the shoulder cries more_

_I cannot die, I, a whore for this cold world_

_Forgive me,_

_I have but two faces_

_One for the world,_

_One for God,_

_Save me_

_I cannot cry 'cause the shoulder cries more_

_I cannot die, I, a whore for this cold world_

_Whore for this cold world_

_Whore for this cold world!" _The voice sang.

Then the black shadow of people split from the dome, each rushing in a different direction. The dome disintegrated into the ground, leaving no mark it was ever there

Itachi watched the jounin go after them; however the shadow people were regular size now. As soon as they reached a tree, the shadows disappeared into the trunk of the trees, almost like many small, black whirlwinds.

They all disappeared. Itachi sighed as he saw the shinobi gathering the clearing the dome had just been in.

"Everyone, go home and get some sleep," Tsunade said.

"Hokage-sama, I must insist you convene the Konoha council," Itachi heard his father say.

"Agreed," came the voice of Hiashi Hyuga.

"Fine. For now, go home everyone," Tsunade said. "Team Kakashi, stay for a second."

The other ninja left, but Itachi stayed with team Kakashi. "Where is Sakura?" Tsunade asked.

"We don't know," Kakashi said. "She did not report to the tower when the warning bell went off."

"Hokage-sama," Itachi said. "While she was at our house for dinner, her cousin came in. Her uncle was sick, and close to death. She is probably caring for him now." He said.

Tsunade pinned him with a glare, and Itachi wondered if she knew he was trying to cover for Sakura. "Thank you Itachi, I will take that into consideration," Tsunade said. "For now, let's all go home. I will speak to Sakura about this tomorrow."

"Yes Hokage-sama," team Kakashi said in unison.

As he went home, Itachi hoped that Sakura knew what she was doing.

/

Well, I hope you like it : )

The song is Poet and the Pendulum, by Nightwish. It's from their 2005 album Dark Passion Play. I love Nightwish, they are def my favorite band. I plan on using more of their songs in this story, so stay tuned.

For this song, I took out the middle part of it. That part is a lot slower, and I felt that the action would be better without using the middle of the song. I also took out the ending part of the song, because, again, it is a lot slower pace compared to the rest of the song.

Please review, I luv luv luv all of the reviews that I get. They are wonderful!

Enjoy!

HeartsandSpadesXX13


	9. Chapter 9

Non massacre Itachi and Sakura fan fic. I do not own Naruto, although I wish I did!

Thank you for all the reviews and please enjoy!

Chapter 9

Itachi groaned as the light hit him. He moved his arm, shielding his face.

Sakura would have to get up soon. She always woke up bright and early to get to the hospital. He could almost smell the pancakes, waffles, or French toast she would make for him every morning. He smirked as he could taste the delicious breakfast on his tongue.

He felt something was off. There was no warm body beside his, no Sakura curled up next to him. This was totally wrong.

Itachi jumped up, his eyes frantically searching the bed next to him. It was empty.

He looked around and saw he was not in Sakura's room. He was in his own.

Then the events of last night came back to him. His eyes widened, as he felt a morning migraine hit him hard. He groaned, holding his head in his hands.

Slowly, Itachi shuffled out of bed and downstairs to the kitchen. He desperately needed his usual two cups of coffee before he could even function in the morning. He smiled, knowing that was definitely one thing he and Sakura had in common. They were both coffee fiends.

He noticed his father sitting in the kitchen. Itachi sat down at the table, his mug in his hands.

Fugaku spoke first, surprising Itachi. "Did you hear from you girlfriend?" he asked.

"No," Itachi said.

"I was wondering how her uncle is doing," Fugaku said.

Itachi just looked at his father. "Why?" he asked.

"No reason," Fugaku said quickly. "I just wanted to know if he was okay. Her cousin looked very worried when he was here last night."

Itachi had forgotten Sakura had run off last night. He was too concerned with why she had not shown to fight the mystery monster that invaded Konoha.

"Does anyone know what that thing was last night?" Itachi asked.

"No, we do not," Fugaku said as he sipped his own coffee. "Ibiki is suppose to give a report at the council meeting today, but I heard he does not know anything as of yet. There were no bodies, and no evidence to tie enemies of the village."

"Have you ever seen anything like it?" Itachi asked.

"Never," Fugaku said. "It is a mystery."

Itachi sat silently, hoping Sakura was okay. He made a mental note to stop by her apartment before going to the ANBU headquarters.

/

Sakura sighed as she walked out of Tsunade's office. She looked up, and noticed Itachi coming towards her. Sakura knew she must have looked like shit. She didn't sleep at all, her hair was messy, and she probably had bags underneath her eyes.

"Sakura, are you okay?" Itachi asked her, his eyes searching hers.

"I'm fine," Sakura said faintly.

"No you're not," Itachi said, his eyes searching her body. "You haven't slept or eaten at all, have you?"

"Itachi…. He's dead….." Sakura said, tears streaming down her face.

Itachi hugged her, holding her close as her shoulders shook against his from her sobs. "Sakura…." He whispered to her. "I am so sorry."

"Uncle Jiro is dead!" Sakura choked out through her tears. "I couldn't save him! He saved me so many times! And I couldn't save him!"

Itachi held her close, knowing she needed him. He looked up to see his father walking towards them. "Itachi," Fugaku said, his voice its usual frigid temperature.

"Yes?" Itachi asked Sakura stiffened in his arms. However, she did not turn around. Itachi guessed that she didn't want his father to see her weakness.

"I'll tell Shisui to cover you for today," Fugaku said as he walked past them.

Itachi only stared at his father's back, his face not showing his shock at his father's unbelievably kind gesture.

"Let's take you home," Itachi said to Sakura.

"No," Sakura said firmly.

"Sakura, you need sleep," Itachi said.

"I need to be at Emi's house, with my family," Sakura said, her eyes hard as they glared at him.

"You are exhausted," Itachi said, trying to reason with her. "Now, if you will not go home, I'll just drag you there."

"If you don't want to help, then fine! Get the hell out of my way!" Sakura yelled at him as she tore herself from his arms. "I have to go, my family needs me," she said, her voice icy cold.

Itachi could only stare at her in shock. This was the first time she had yelled at him like that. And he did not like it one bit.

"Sakura, wait!" he called to her.

"No!" Sakura said as he grabbed her arm. She struggled in his grip, trying to get away. She was panting, her body exhausted. She couldn't fight him anymore. "Just leave me alone," she said quietly, without looking at him.

"Let me take you to Emi's house," Itachi said, as he let her arm go.

Sakura sighed as she looked back at him, attempting to calm her emotions. "Okay," she said quietly.

Itachi nodded and walked next to her as they exited the Hokage's tower. Itachi was silent as he walked next to Sakura, his sharp eyes constantly on her. He wanted to make sure she was fine. It was obvious to him that she had not slept since she left his house yesterday.

Sakura's head was held high as she led him down the busy streets of Konoha. Itachi soon found himself in front of a huge apartment building, in Konoha's downtown district. He looked around as Sakura led him into one of the apartment buildings.

He saw may people in the doorway of the building. As Sakura walked by, they all bowed their heads slightly in respect. She led him through the people in the building, to a door on the bottom floor. Itachi saw it was opened.

Sakura walked in, Itachi in tow. As soon as he walked in, he could feel the depression in the room. The despair and misery in the apartment was practically palpable. He saw a few Haruno's he recognized there, like Kai sitting in a corner. Haru and his sister were leaning against the wall, Midori sobbing softly.

Then Itachi saw it. On one of the couches lay a figure draped with a white sheet. On the floor next to the couch, Itachi finally saw Emi.

She was sobbing over the body on the couch, her arms resting on the body. Emi looked horrible, as she wailed over her husband.

Next to her were two girls. One was an exact copy of Emi, down to the hair on her head. The girl wore a simple shirt and pants, as she gently rubbed Emi's shoulders, tears streaming down her face. The other was younger, with reddish brown hair and bright hazel eyes. The smaller girl was sitting next to Emi, her eyes red.

"Emi," came Sakura's voice form beside him. Itachi had almost forgotten she was there.

"Sa...ku…ra," Emi sobbed as she looked up from the body. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her cheeks were streaked with tears.

"Emi, please," Sakura said, her voice tired. "Let go."

"NO!" Emi screeched, clinging to the body. "No! I'm not leaving him! He saved us, he saved you!" she sobbed, her voice hysterical.

"Emi," Sakura said calmly. "Please stop. Lavi and Sayuri do not need to see this."

Emi sniffed, as she rubbed her eyes. "I suppose you are right," Emi said softly.

"Don't worry Emi," Midori said as she stepped forward. "Haru and I will take care of all the funeral arrangements."

"Thank you," Emi sobbed.

"It's okay," Sakura said as she held her sobbing aunt in her arms. "It will all be okay, Emi."

/

Itachi sat in his kitchen, his mother wearing a black kimono. The whole family wore black, except Fugaku, who wore his usual grey. The table was silent, as the Uchiha family ate breakfast.

Today was Jiro's funeral.

Itachi looked at the clock and noticed that it was time to leave. He stood, and the rest of his family followed in silence.

They walked down the streets of Konoha in silence. Itachi looked around, and noticed a few other members of the city dressed in black as well. He saw Ino, and her family walking towards them.

"Fugaku," Inoichi Yamanaka greeted the Uchiha clan head.

"Inoichi," Fugaku greeted back.

"Hi Sasuke," Ino said, her voice soft. She did not throw her arms around Sasuke, or do any of her usual stunts.

"Ino, are you going to the funeral too?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah," Ino said. "I use to spend every Friday night at Emi and Jiro's house with Sakura. They were always so nice to me; I can't imagine Jiro being dead."

"It will be hard on Sakura," Ino's mother said. "Jiro was like a father to her."

"And poor Lavi and Saiyuri," Inoichi said. "Those girls are too young to lose their father like that."

"Well, let's continue," Mikoto said.

The group began moving, and was soon joined by a surprisingly somber Naruto joined them.

"Man this sucks," Naruto said, summing up what they were all feeling.

"What the hell?" Sasuke said as they stopped in front of the gates to the cemetery. Many people were milling around, all in black kimonos. However, their obi's were all different colors, with a white flower pattern on them.

Fugaku instantly noted that Saido along with Takashi and Komurei wore blue obi's. Sakura's student, Kai, wore a brown obi. Many wore green obi's and only a few wore brown. Fugaku also noticed all the kimonos were exactly the same, except for the obi color.

"Hello everyone," Emi said as she walked over to them. She wore the same plain black kimono as the rest, and her obi was brown. "Thank you for coming."

"Emi, we are sorry for what happened to Jiro," Ino's mother said as she took Emi's hands in her own.

"Thank you," Emi said. She looked to her side, and Itachi noticed both of her daughters were there, the younger one, Saiyuri, gripping the side of her kimono. "These are my daughters Saiyuri and Lavi," Emi said as she introduced them.

"It's nice to meet you," Saiyuri said timidly. Lavi did not say anything.

"We are waiting for Midori and Haru, and then everyone can come in and sit," Emi said.

"Where is Sakura?" Itachi asked.

"Oh, Sakura is with Midori and Haru," Emi said. "They should be here any minute."

"Emi," Saido said as he walked over. "We should get everyone inside, that way we can start as soon as Midori gets here."

"Are you sure," Emi asked. Saido nodded. "Fine, then," Emi said.

"I'll make sure it is done," Saido said. He walked away, and Emi sighed.

"Saido has been very helpful ever since Jiro died," Emi said.

"Will everything be okay?" Ino asked her.

Emi smiled. "Dearie, I don't know the answer to that. But I intend to keep living to the fullest. I have said my goodbyes and I am ready to move on."

"We will sit over here," Ino's mother said. "I see some friends of ours."

"Sasuke and I will sit with some of the other rookie nine," Naruto said. "Hey! I see Hinata!"

The Uchiha sat down in the middle of a row of people. In front of the chairs there was a small platform with a podium on it. Two chairs were on the platform, completely empty. The Haruno's filled in most of the chairs, with many other people there. In the front row, the seat next to Emi was empty.

Itachi felt a tap on his arm. He looked down to see Kai. "_Can I sit here?"_ was written on his dry erase board.

"Sure," Itachi said.

"_Thanks,"_ Kai replied. "_Why did your brother ditch you?"_

Itachi raised his eyebrow. "Hn," was his reply.

"_Sakura looks really pretty today,"_ Kai wrote. "_Her clan clothes are nicer than the rest of ours. It belonged to her mother, you know."_

"Clan clothes?" Itachi asked curiously.

"_The kimonos,"_ Kai wrote. "_All branch members wear black. The color on the obi represents which branch you are from. Sakura is from the main branch, so her kimono is different. So is Midori's."_

"I see," Itachi said pensively.

"_You'll see,"_ Kai wrote.

The Haruno's stood, turning towards the entrance to the cemetery. Itachi and his parents stood, uncertainly, not sure what was going to happen. Itachi heard a steady drum beat in the background, each beat slow and melodic.

Itachi's eyes zeroed in on Sakura, and he saw nothing else. Her kimono was white, with a bright red obi. A white pattern on her obi looked like vines with flowers on them. Her cord on her obi was silver, matching her hair pins. Her hair was swept up into a loose bun, with two silver hairpins in the shape of flower bunches. Tiny green emeralds twinkled on her hairpins, matching her green eyes.

Midori was next to her. Her kimono was a bright red, with a silver obi. She had a heian-style over kimono on that had a forest scene littering the bottom of it. Her blonde curls were in pigtails, each decorated with flowers and hairpins. A bow sat on one, the ends hanging down near her shoulders. On her forehead was a small circle of large emeralds, small swirls of vines and flowers twining over every emerald. Midori looked straight ahead, her eyes almost clear and unseeing.

As Midori and Sakura walked by, the Haruno's bowed to them. The Uchiha's were not sure what to do, and Itachi noticed that the other Konoha ninja were also unsure.

Midori and Sakura walked up to the platform, before sitting in the two chairs set up there. The Haruno's remained standing as they looked back towards the entrance.

Itachi looked as a coffin was brought in. The drums continued their beat as four men set the coffin in front of the platform.

Midori stood, and the drums instantly stopped. She walked over to the podium, her outer kimono trailing along behind her.

"Thank you for coming," Midori said. "This is the first time we have allowed outsiders to a Haruno clan event. I would like to welcome you all. I am Midori Haruno, and I am the shaman of the Haruno clan. As you may know, we all come from Iwagakure. At this funeral, however, we plan to follow all of the traditions of our clan, and we would like you all to respect our traditions. Now, first I would like to invite Sakura Haruno forward, to speak about Jiro Haruno."

Midori walked back as Sakura moved forwards to the podium. "The first time I met Uncle Jiro," Sakura began. "It was in the underneath the Haruno mansion. It was dark and cold all the time. The rats use to steal any food there was. The water was so cold that I use to use a rusted nail, just to chip away the top of the ice so I could drink. I thought I was never leaving that hell hole."

"Then, one day, I remember looking outside and seeing the stars and moons. I sent up a prayer that I would see the outside world again. Then, this man appeared in front of the bars at my cell. I remember I was scared, not of him, but of the light he brought with him. He had a torch to see with, and the light hurt my eyes. That man told me he was related to my mother. He opened the bars, and carried me out of that cell. The man who saved me was Uncle Jiro."

"When we got to Konoha, he was the one who kept us all together. Jiro was not a loud protester, but instead he was the glue that kept our family together in the first few years we lived in Konoha. He let me, Haru, and Midori live with his family for many years, until we were old enough to live on our own. He was the one who invested the first few yen in Emi's tea shop. He got that shop going, and stepped back to let Emi live out her dream."

"Jiro Haruno was an amazing person. I did not know when I was young, and I regret that. However, the years I lived with his family in Konoha are some of the happiest memories I have," Sakura said. She paused, and Itachi saw she was breathing deeply, blinking her eyes, trying to keep the tears from falling. "I will miss him deeply, and Konoha will not be the same without him," she finished.

The audience clapped politely as Sakura stepped back to her seat. She folded her hands on her lap, her back straight as could be.

Saido stood from his seat, and walked up to the podium. He held a paper in his hand that he smoothed out over the podium. "You all might not know this, but Jiro and I were best friends growing up in Iwa," Saido began to say. "We lived next door to each other in the village. Jiro and I use to play out in the mountains next to the village. We knew the paths around the village better than anyone else in the village. I remember we use to chase the sheep around the hills, while we looked out for wolves. The wolves in those hills are giants, at least three times the size of any I have ever seen outside of those mountains."

"Jiro saved my life when we were children. We use to herd the many flocks of sheep that our parents owned out to the hills to feed. One day, one of the lambs went astray and started going high up to the mountain. Jiro ran after it, and I followed him. I heard a growl, and looked up to see a wolf there. I jelled to Jiro as it pounced. Its jaws snapped over my leg, as it began to thrash around. Jiro saw this, and instead of running, he ran towards the wolf. The wolf let me go, and circled as it was about to pounce. I saw it pounce on Jiro, and I tried to yell at him to run. The wolf didn't move, and I thought Jiro was dead."

"Then I saw Jiro throw the wolf's body off of him. He had stabbed the wolf in the heart with a kunai. Jiro carried me back to the village that day, and stayed with me while the healer tried to sew my leg back together. We always watched each other's back, even as we grew older."

"Then, when we were older, something happened that separated us. We were both were informed that our marriages had been finalized. I was to marry Liliah Haruno, and Jiro was supposed to marry Emi Haruno. This was the first time that something had come between us. After we were both married a few months, I was offered a job working for the Clan Head. I took it, against Jiro's warnings. I refused to listen to my best friend, and that was my downfall."

"We began to grow apart. I had my work, which Jiro and Emi's family disapproved of. I admit, it was childish of me, but I began to think that Emi was turning my friend against me. I refused to speak to my friend, and then the years passed by."

"Then, trouble began. Emi's sister Jurri married Aoi, the heir to the clan. Aoi was a beacon of hope for most of us then. He wanted to change the clan, and to end the many practices of the Main Branch, such as experimenting on branch members, and arraigned marriages. We thought it would be the start of a new beginning."

"I was neutral when Aoi went against the rest of the main branch, and now, looking back, I wish I wasn't. Then, the old clan head died, making his other son, Miyobi, the new head. That was the beginning of the end for all of us."

"I didn't care when he started to arrest people. No one in my family was taken, so I didn't care. I turned a blind eye towards what Miyobi was doing. I am sorry to say that it was the death of Jiro's first daughter that opened my eyes. Aya was a beautiful young woman, who was sentenced to death for speaking out against the Main Branch. She was only fourteen.

Then, Miyobi turned his eyes closer to home. My wife was arrested and brought to the prison underneath the main branch's mansion. A few days after my wife was taken, Jiro came to me and proposed an idea. Aoi had convinced Emi's branch to leave the village. Jiro wanted me to come with them. The plan was that we would break into the mansion and free the people in there, then head through the mountains to the Waterfall village. The mountains are a dangerous and treacherous, so even ANBU squads do not dare to pass through them. Jiro and I grew up in those mountains, so we knew how to survive in them."

"We rescued the prisoners from the main branch and left that night. About two hundred of us left the village that night. Jiro and I led the way thought the mountains. At the Waterfall village, some of the others went to the Village in the clouds, and most came to Konoha. Jiro managed to get us all settled here in Konoha, and got many of us off of the ground. He was always there when we needed him, and he truly cared for all of us here in Konoha.

Jiro was not the same after his daughter died. He loved Aya with all his heart, and her death really hit him hard. He was not the same after that. Jiro became more serious, and definitely more of a leader. Jiro confided in me that the major reason he decided to go through with Aoi's plan to leave Iwa was that he did not want his younger daughter to suffer like Aya did. Jiro loved Emi, I know he did. He loved his daughters deeply, and cared for his family. He was the best man I ever met, and he was my best friend," Saido said.

He sighed and stepped down from the podium. Saido walked back to his seat, limping slightly as he leaned on his cane.

Midori stood as she walked over to the coffin. She held her hand out, and Haru stood, handing her a long staff. On the end was a circle, with an outside circle. Weird markings were inside, and red tassels dangled off of the top of the staff.

As Midori raised it, Itachi noticed with a jolt that the inside was a picture of a fox. The small fox had nine tails on it. His mind reeled as he looked and saw eight other animals circling around the nine tailed fox on the staff. He looked on, curious as to what was happening next.

Midori raised the staff, both of her arms stretched to the side. "Jiro Haruno, husband of Emi, father to Aya, now passed. Father to Lavi and Saiyuri, we send your spirit back to the gate of our ancestors. We send you to guard the demon our ancestor sealed away. Be at peace," Midori said as she waved the staff over Jiro's coffin.

The staff jingled, and Itachi realized that eight tiny bells were attached to the end of the staff.

"We were created from the earth, and to the earth we now return you," Midori chanted, her eyes closed.

Sakura stood, walking down to stand next to Midori. "We were created from the earth, and to the earth we now return you," she chanted.

"May your soul join those of our ancestors," the crowd chanted.

"May your soul be at peace," Midori said softly.

Four Haruno's rose, and walked forward. Haru also came forward, a blue cloth in his hand. He covered the coffin without a word. The four others lifted each side of the coffin, holding it up on their shoulders. Haru walked forward. Midori lifted a piece of fabric from his arms. It was a red hood, with two long tassels hanging down her shoulders and to the ground. It had gold embroidery on it, and the ends dragged behind her. Haru stood next to Midori and Sakura, and they began walking away.

Again the drums began to beat. Itachi could hear the sea, the waves beating against the beach as the drums began to beat. The sound of a flute joined in, its soft, melancholy melody carrying over the slight breeze that had picked up.

"_An old man by the seashore, at the end of day_

_Gazes the horizon with the sea winds in his face," _Haru began to sing as they walked forward. The rest of the people there rose, and filed out as they began to follow the coffin.

"_Tempest-tossed Island, seasons all the same_

_Anchorage unpainted and a ship without a name,"_ Haru sang as the crowd followed him and his sister.

"_Sea without a shore for the banished one unheard_

_He lightens the beacon, light at the end of world_," Sakura chimed in as she sang with Haru.

"_Showing the way, lighting hope in their hearts_," Haru sang.

"_The ones and their travels from homeward from afar_," Sakura and Haru sang.

"_This is the long, forgotten…_

_Light at the end of the world…._

_Horizon's crying…_

_The tears he left behind so far ago…._

The flutes and drums began to play again, as Haru and Sakura paused to sing. Itachi walked in line with the rest of the group. He closed his eyes for a second, and he could almost see the sea behind his eyelids. For a split second he saw the ship, its body unpainted and the wood gleaming on the water.

"_The albatross is flying, making his daydream_

_The time before he became- one of the world's unseen_

_Princess in the tower, children in the field_

_Life gave him it all, an island of the universe,"_ Sakura and Haru sang.

They paused at a freshly dug grave. Itachi could see Emi collapse to the ground, her head down as she looked at the coffin holding her husband. The Haruno's put the coffin on top of a sling to bury the coffin. They began to crank the wheel, as the coffin began to sink into the ground.

"_Now his love's a memory_

_A ghost in the fog_

_He sets the sail one last time saying farewell to the world_

_Anchor to the water_

_Sea bed far below,_

_Grass still in his feet and a smile beneath his brow_," Sakura and Haru sang as the crowd gathered around the grave.

"_This is the long, forgotten…_

_Light at the end of the world…._

_Horizon's crying…_

_The tears he left behind so far ago…."_ They sang together, their voices molding together.

"_This is the long, forgotten…_

_Light at the end of the world…._

_Horizon's crying…_

_The tears he left behind so far ago…."_ Their voices faded out as the sounds of the sea shore took over the crowd. Itachi watched as the crowd began to disperse after the song ended.

Sakura smiled as she walked over to him. Itachi made no outward sign, but sakura could see the slight twinkle in his eye, the upward quirk of his lips.

"Hi Itachi," sakura said tiredly as she walked over to him.

"Let me walk you home Sakura," Itachi said.

"Thanks Itachi," Sakura said. She smiled at his parents. "Welcome, Uchiha-samas," she said as she bowed to Mikoto and Fugaku.

"Thank you Sakura," Mikoto said kindly, a smile on her face. "I am sorry for your loss."

"Thank you," Sakura said softly. She sighed. "Now it is time for the party. You're all invited; it is at a restaurant that Saido owns. The event starts at eight, all right?" Sakura said.

"Thank you, we will try to be there," Mikoto said. "Now we must return home."

"Yes, of course," Sakura said tiredly.

Sakura noticed her friends waiting by the gate as the rest of the guests filed out. Obviously they were waiting to talk to her. Itachi saw her stare and looked over, noticing it too. "Do you want to see them now?" he asked her, his voice low.

"Not now," Sakura said. "At the dinner later, I'll see them. I just want to go home."

"All right," Itachi said. He and sakura took off, jumping from tree to tree. Sakura let the wind hit her face, cooling her skin and drying the unshed tears in her eyes. Next to her, Itachi remained cool and impassive, his demeanor the same as always.

They landed in front of Sakura's door. She quickly opened it, dashing inside. She closed it as soon as Itachi was in, and turned to face him.

Sakura jumped at him, her lips crashing onto his. Itachi's arms wrapped around her, as he pushed her into the back of the door, his arms around her waist. Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands twining in his hair.

Itachi's body was so large; it dwarfed her, invading all her senses. She could feel his hips pressing against hers though the kimono, as his hands travelled up and down her sides. Sakura broke away softly, panting slightly as she did.

"Itachi… please…. Make me forget," she whispered to him.

Itachi said nothing as he nodded. Sakura grabbed his hands, pulling him upstairs. She took the steps two at a time as she rushed to her room.

Sakura opened her door, and sighed. She grabbed her obi, her hands working quickly to get it undone. "I want this damned kimono off of me," she hissed. "This stupid thing!" she yelled as she threw her obi on the floor. "I hate it!"

"Sakura," Itachi said calmly.

"I don't why we even do this," Sakura ranted as she stripped out of her kimono. "The kimonos, the ceremony, everything! It's all created to separate us, Itachi. Main branch from the lower branches, and family to family. It just want to tear this thing up!" she said as she went to rip her kimono.

"Sakura, stop," Itachi said as he stepped forward. He pried the kimono gently from her grip. "This belonged to your mother, right?" he asked.

Sakura collapsed as she began to sob. "Was it all for nothing?" Sakura asked him softly, her voice stuttering slightly from her sobs. "Coming here, living here. We are still following the clan laws we tried to get rid of. WE are still supposed to keep silent about our traditions and powers. Nothing has changed!"

"Sakura," Itachi said. "Your family is strong. So are you," he said simply.

Sakura smiled, laughing at his bluntness. "You are such an Uchiha sometimes," she said as she stood up.

He smirked at her. "When am I not," he drawled, his voice lazy as he leaned against the doorframe to her bedroom.

Sakura laughed as she whipped her eyes. Surprisingly, a good laugh was exactly what she needed. "I must be dreaming, an Uchiha just cracked a joke," she said sarcastically as she walked to her dresser, only in her lace underwear and matching bra.

"It's rare," Itachi said with a smirk.

"That's for damn sure," Sakura said as she took out a pair of plain jeans and a red fitted tank top.

Itachi smirked. He just knew that sex was the exact opposite of what Sakura needed right now. She was strong, but she needed someone there for her.

"See something you like?" she said as she looked over her shoulder. Itachi was jolted out of his thoughts, his eyes directly on her two toned butt cheeks right in front of them. They were two perfect, round pieces of muscle right in front of him.

"Yes," he said plainly. "However, now is not the time."

"Thanks Itachi," Sakura said. "It's nice to have someone who is nice, calm, and mature…." She began to say.

TWACK

Sakura screeched and held her butt as she whipped around to see Itachi. "What the hell was that for?" she screeched at him.

He smirked at her, holding his offending hand behind his back. She was just too cute when she was mad.

/

Itachi held onto Sakura as they walked up to the restaurant. She wore a simple red tank top and a white fitted blazer. Her jeans were tight and dark, showing off her awesome legs. Her heels were bright red pumps with a small bow on them. To Itachi, she looked amazing. He simply wore a pair of dark jeans and a black button down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Together, they looked like the perfect couple, complementing each other perfectly.

Sakura smiled to her family as she walked in. They all instantly crowed around them, each member offering their condolences.

Itachi noticed Sakura gracefully dealing with each individually. She acted the part of the perfect clan leader, listening to all, but never letting her opinions be known. He also nodded to those who greeted him, and conversed politely with the clan members that talked to him.

Itachi noticed Emi sitting with his parents at a table in the restaurant. Itachi gently motioned to Sakura, pulling her towards them.

Emi was chatting amicably with Mikoto. Emi smiled at them, waving to them as Sakura and Itachi walked over to the table.

"Oh Sakura, you look lovely," Mikoto said as they stood at the table.

"Haruno-san, I would like to offer my condolences to your family," Itachi said politely.

"Oh thank you Itachi-san," Emi said with a smile. "And please, call me Emi. All of this Haruno-san reminds me of those ass lickers from when we use to live with the clan."

"Emi!" Sakura said indignantly.

"What? It's true," Emi said with a shrug.

"Good evening," Uchiha-samas," Sakura said as she bowed to Itachi's parents.

"Hn," was all Fugaku said.

"Fugaku Uchiha!" came the voice of Midori as she bounded over to them. "Oh good, I was hoping to see you tonight! There are many people I want you to meet, and so little time. Chop, chop mister," Midori said as she grabbed Fugaku's hand.

Fugaku looked flabbergasted as Midori pulled him away. "Midori! Bring him back!" Emi said as she hurried after the tiny shaman.

"I'd better go," Mikoto said as she stood to run after her abducted husband. "Sasuke and the others are outside," she said as she hurried away.

"What is wrong with your cousin?" Itachi asked her.

"Midori is special. As the shaman, she is in contact with our nine spirits, the biju. She can see the future, and sometimes even connect with dead spirits if she concentrates enough. It's enough to make anyone a little batty," Sakura said.

"Should we help them?" Itachi asked as he watched Midori pull his father along.

"I think so," Sakura said. She and Itachi walked over to where Midori was chatting with Saido about something. She had a hold on Fugaku's hand, keeping him rooted there. Sakura sighed as she saw Emi and Haru rushing over.

"Midori! We talked about this!" Emi said her voice exasperated. "You can't just go off and do whatever you want!"

"I'm just acclimating Fugaku into our clan," Midori said smartly. "It will make everything much easier later on."

"Midori, stop acting odd," Haru said.

"I am not odd, I'm normal! Well, for me anyways," Midori said with a smile.

"Please Midori, stop bugging the Uchiha's," Emi pleaded with her.

"But I saw a vision!" Midori said.

"What vision?" Sakura asked kindly as she leaned down to be eyes level with her tiny cousin.

"I saw the Haruno clan living in the Uchiha Compound," Midori said. "So, I want to start preparing early by acclimating the Uchiha's to our crazy family."

"Midori, you know you cannot act on every vision you see," Haru said gently.

"But Fugaku and I are going to be such good friends!" Midori said with certainty in her voice.

"Why would I be friends with you?" Fugaku asked in his biting tone.

"Because I can put up with you," Midori said without missing a beat.

"Put up with me?" Fugaku asked outraged.

"Well, you are a sarcastic ass," she said pointedly.

"And you are a weird little kid that talks to thin air," Fugaku said.

"Not thin air, dead people," Midori said. "And sometimes kami and biju too."

"What?" Fugaku asked.

"Well, I am the shaman, it's my job," Midori said. "I talk to dead people and see the future."

"Midori," sakura said, her voice hard. She stood up, her hands on her hips. "That is enough."

"Yes Sakura," Midori said sadly.

"Now," Sakura said her voice authorative. Itachi saw his father's eyes widen. In a split second, he knew that Fugaku saw the same power Itachi saw. Sakura held the authority here, and was finally showing how much authority she really had.

"Now, we agreed when we came here to keep the details of our clan within the family. Is that right?" Sakura asked, her eyes narrowing.

"But Sakura!" Midori began.

"No buts," Sakura said. "I do not care what the future holds. Here in the present you are out of line."

"Yes Sakura," Midori said, her head bowed down.

"Now, you know the rules," Sakura said.

"Do not reveal information that could be damaging to the clan. Do not reveal clan traditions to outsiders. Do not allow outsiders in the clan," Midori droned on.

"Yes, now follow them," Sakura said sharply.

Midori sighed, deflated. "Yes Sakura," Midori said.

"Sakura, thank goodness. You are the only one who Midori listens to," Emi said.

"She is the clan leader," Midori said. "At least here in Konoha she is."

"Yes, now why don't you show the Uchiha's to the bar for a drink," Sakura said.

"All right," Midori said brightly as she pulled Itachi's parents away.

"Thank you Sakura," Emi said with a sigh. "You are the only one Midori listens to."

"Even I can't stop her sometimes," Haru said with a sigh. "Your friends are outside. You might want to go check it out, Naruto had a few drinks. Sasuke isn't so hot either."

"Thanks," Sakura said.

Haru and Emi walked off to talk to some other Haruno's. Sakura sighed and wrapped her arm around Itachi's. He gave her a smirk and Sakura smiled back. They walked towards the door to the restaurant, leading out into the back alley.

Outside the door was some of the rookie nine in the alley. Naruto was there, his arm around Hinata. Sasuke was sitting on the fire escape next to Sai, a drink in hand. Ino and Shikamaru were also there, along with Neji and Lee. Sakura also saw Shisui there next to Sasuke.

"Sakura, my beautiful flower!" Lee said as he jumped up to grab Sakura's hand.

Itachi put his arm around Sakura, pulling her a little closer to him. Lee stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide as he stared at Itachi. "Sakura, are you and Uchiha-sama together?" Lee asked.

"Yeah, we are," Sakura said. She noticed Neji's eyes locking onto hers. His face looked stricken.

"My love will never fade, my beautiful Sakura!" Lee proclaimed, his voice loud. "Even if you are in the evil clutches of an Uchiha!"

Shisui snorted into his drink as he laughed, clutching his side as he gasped for air. Sasuke glared at Lee, and even Sakura giggled a bit.

"Oh stop looking like that Itachi," Shisui said. "Now come over and get something to drink."

Itachi said noting as he walked over to his cousin, sitting down next to him. Sakura smiled as she plopped down between Naruto and Sasuke, her arms around her two teammates. She smiled at Hinata, who gave her a small smile back.

"So what's with the kimono's at the ceremony forehead?" Ino asked. "Did you all shop at the same place?"

"It's a clan thing pig," Sakura said as she opened a beer.

"Uh huh, I always liked your clan, they are fun," Ino said as she took a swig of her beer.

"They are a lively bunch, that's for sure," Sakura said with a smile.

"So is your cousin still bugging my aunt and uncle?" Shisui asked Sakura.

"For now, yes. Midori seems to like Fugaku a lot," Sakura said.

"Why?" Naruto asked incredulously. "That guy has a stick up his ass so far…."

"Shut it dobe!" Sasuke yelled as he smacked Naruto over the head.

"Make me teme!" Naruto yelled back.

"Shut up both of you!" Sakura said as she delivered two blows to the back of their heads with both hands. The rest of the group laughed at Naruto's and Sasuke's surprised faces.

"Forehead, where is your cousin?" Ino asked Sakura.

"Right here," Haru said as he opened the door. "Have room for one more?"

"Sure!" Naruto said as he jumped up, grabbing Haru and pulling him down next to him.

"Thanks Naruto," Haru said.

"So Haru, how are you doing?" Ino asked as she batted her eyes at him.

"Oh, I'm fine," Haru said. "I've been pulling some extra shifts at Emi's place to help her out."

"That's good," Naruto said. "Does Emi need some extra help?"

"Yeah, we need some help," Haru said. "Do you want the job?"

"What am I doing?" Naruto asked.

"Just cleaning tables and floors, that sort of stuff," Haru said. "Sakura is going to start waitressing again in between missions. You can work with us too," he said with a smile.

"Awesome!" Naruto cheered as he punched the air. "Missions have been scarce lately, so I need more money for my rent."

"I hear ya there," Haru said. "Emi had to increase the rent in our apartment. The Council raised taxes on houses owned by non-citizens, so most of us Haruno's have been scrambling to make our rent. A few have been evicted already."

"What! How can they do that?" Ino asked, her voice indignant.

"That's not fair at all!" Naruto whined, his voice high pitched.

"When was this passed?" Shikamaru asked, his voice calm and calculating.

"A few months ago," Sakura answered.

"Yep, but we'll be okay," Haru said with a smile.

"But that's blatant discrimination!" Lee said. "How can they do that?"

"Lee, its fine," Sakura said with a smile. "Don't worry about us."

"Hey Naruto, once you work with us, you're part of the family," Haru said with a smile. "Maybe your girlfriend will visit you at work," he said, making Hinata blush as red as a tomato.

"Yeah! That'd be fun!" Naruto said, completely ignoring that Hinata's face was bright red.

Sakura giggled, and punched her cousin on the shoulder. "Don't make fun of Hinata, she's too nice," Sakura said.

"Hey, hey," Haru said. "I just call it like I see it."

The group laughed, all of them enjoying themselves.

"Hey Sakura," Emi said as she poked her head out of the door. "Can you come in for a sec? You too Haru," Emi said.

"Sure," Sakura said as she and Haru stood.

"Actually, you all might want to come," Emi said. "We are getting shut down."

"What?" Naruto and Ino said in unison.

"Why?" Hinata asked timidly.

"What is going on?" Neji asked urgently.

"Calm down everyone," Emi said as she opened the door. "I don't want any trouble, all right?"

"No one is to engage anyone," Sakura said, standing tall, her head held high. "Lead the way Emi."

Emi nodded and held the door open to Sakura. She and Haru walked in to see two squads of ANBU standing there at the door of the restaurant. "What is going on here?" Sakura demanded as she walked in, the crowd in front of her moving aside.

Kai ran over, standing tall next to Sakura. Midori was right behind him, and ran straight into Haru's arms. She hid her face in his kimono, as the rest of the Konoha ninja also walked forward. Itachi stood next to Sakura, surveying the two ANBU squads.

"What business does Root have with a civilian family?" he asked the ANBU. His eyes narrowed, although they wore ANBU clothing, these squads were unfamiliar to him. Danzo was right in the middle of them, a small smirk on his face as he overlooked the Haruno clan.

"Ah, Itachi Uchiha, what are you doing here?" Danzo asked, his smile dropping.

"What are you here for?" Sakura demanded, stepping forward to face Danzo.

"We have received complaints about disturbances at this address. I must insist you all leave," Danzo said, his smile back.

"What! We haven't done anything!" Emi said furiously.

"That is to be determined," Danzo said. "We are only acting in Konoha's best interest."

"Bullshit," Haru snapped. "We haven't done anything!"

"Sakura, do something," Naruto said furiously.

"Don't let this guy walk all over you," Sasuke snapped, as he glared at Danzo.

"My father will hear about this. The Haruno's are an upstanding family," Ino said haughtily.

"We'll see about that," Danzo said. "We are just making sure that these refugees don't start any trouble."

"These refugees?" Naruto asked, outraged.

"Guys, enough," Sakura snapped, silencing any outbursts. "You need the Hokage's approval for this. Where is the paperwork?" she asked him suspiciously.

"Right here," Danzo said as he pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Sakura. Sakura opened it, scanning it in a few seconds. Her expression turned to shock as she read, her eyes wide as she looked up at Danzo again.

"He's right," Sakura said, people behind her gasping. "This is a signed order by the Hokage to disperse."

"A new law was passed last week," Danzo said. "Prohibiting refugee gatherings of twenty or more."

"That's not fair!" Naruto yelled.

"Who passed that?" Ino asked suspiciously.

"Our parents would never pass something so horrible," Shikamaru said calmly. Fugaku and Mikoto finally pushed through the crowd and came forward, getting a front row view of all the action.

"You're wrong," Danzo said calmly. "It was inside the new raise in the hospital's budget raise."

"What?" Shikamaru and Ino asked, outraged.

"It passed with a unanimous vote," Danzo continued. "So I must insist you all leave now."

"You heard him," Sakura said, surprising her friends.

"Sakura, no! Don't take this abuse," Ino said.

"I have no choice," Sakura said. "If we resist, we are going against the Hokage."

"Sakura, fight this!" Naruto said, his voice loud as he tried to encourage his friend.

"Not now," Sakura said. "Besides, we have an agreement, right Danzo?" she asked slyly.

"Your father said nothing about fair treatment when he asked me to let your clan into the village," Danzo pointed out.

"You might win this round, but don't push it Danzo. You need me more than I need you," Sakura said, her voice low as she put her hands on her hips. "Come on everyone, party's over," she said.

The Haruno clan groaned as they ban to file out. They all filed out, each one shooting Danzo a glare as they walked out. "You too," Sakura said to her friends.

"Sakura, no," Ino said, her voice hinging on tears. "Stick up for your clan!"

"Yeah Sakura! Kick his butt!" Naruto cheered.

"Naruto, there are some fights you cannot win," Sakura said calmly. "This is one of those times. So go home, and leave this to me. I've been dealing with this for years, all right?" Sakura said with an obviously fake smile on her face.

"Sakura," Naruto said sadly.

"Go home," Sakura said to them.

"Do you think this is okay?" Sasuke asked her.

"Don't worry Sasuke, I have this under control," Sakura said calmly.

"All right then," Sasuke said. "Come on guys, let's go."

"Okay," Ino said as she walked to the door. "Come on Shika," she said. Shikamaru shook his head and followed his teammate out. Neji and Sai followed next, both not saying a word. The Uchiha's stepped closer, Fugaku glaring at Danzo.

"Fugaku, do not get into this," Danzo warned him.

"Don't try to tell me what to do, Danzo," Fugaku said, his voice ice cold. "You've achieved your goal, now leave."

"Are you sticking up for a clan of refugees?" Danzo asked, his voice practically laughing at him.

"Leave them be Danzo. They have done nothing wrong," Fugaku snapped. Itachi stared at his father, a small smirk on his face.

"Let's go father," Itachi said, putting his arm around Sakura. Fugaku nodded to his son, and the Uchiha's walked out, Emi , Haru and Midori with them.

Midori smiled. "Thank you Fugaku-san for sticking up for us," she said as they walked down the street.

"Hn," Fugaku answered her.

"I'll take that as you're welcome," Midori said.

"Oh, so now you can speak Uchiha?" Emi asked her with a smile on her face.

"Of course!" Midori said.

Haru and Emi laughed as they walked down the street. "Well, that was a shitty end to a good night," Emi said.

"Hey, at least we have a new worker for the tea shop," Haru said. "What are you going to pay him?"

"Minimum wage, maybe less," Emi said.

"Seriously?" Mikoto asked.

"Hey, I don't make money by being generous," Emi said with a smile.

"Why was Danzo so intent on making your clan leave?" Shisui asked.

"He's had it in for us ever since Aoi came to him and asked to let our clan into the village," Haru said.

"Well, at least we have Sakura to make sure we aren't all kicked out," Emi said as she gave her niece a small hug.

"At least Danzo hasn't gone back on his part of the deal," Haru said.

"What is that?" Mikoto asked.

"The Haruno Clan Leader is not allowed within the borders of the Land of Fire," Emi said.

"Why?" Sasuke asked.

"We would be in a lot of danger," Sakura said calmly.

Itachi smiled down at her. "You are safe here," he said with confidence.

"For now at least," Sakura answered him.

/

Well, I hope you like it! I would have gotten the chapter out earlier, but I have had a lot of problems with viruses. Please review, and I hope you enjoy. I'll try to have the next chapter out quicker next time.


	10. Chapter 10

Hi everyone, thanks for the great reviews XD I got a ton of positive feedback and I am so exited!

So next few chapters I want to focus on some of the clan traditions, and even introduce the main branch into the story. Also, in this chapter I want to focus on the actual characters from the manga series, not just my made up ones.

A lot of Naruto in this chapter, so you Naruto fans will love it!

As always, please read and review!

Thanks, u guys are brilliant!

**Chapter 10**

Sakura sighed as she walked back to her office. It had been a long day at the Hospital, with three surgeries and a ton of paitents to care for. A chunin squad came in, seriously inured, and Sakura was called to treat all three of them.

She was tired, rubbing her eyes as she walked in the door. Sakura hung up her white doctor's coat as she looked at the broom cupboard she called an office.

Papers were scattered everywhere. An overflowing filing cabinet sat in the corner, and papers littered her desk.

Sakura quickly grabbed her tote bag and headed out the door. She took the hospital steps two at a time as she ran towards the front entrance.

She smiled as she reached the lobby and was rewarded with a smile back.

Naruto was there waiting for her.

"Hi Sakura," he said, his regular orange and black jumpsuit gone. Instead he wore a simple gray kimono that was open at his chest. He also wore a pair of loose black pants, with sandals. His hands were tucked into his pockets, his trademark grin on his face.

"Hi Naruto," Sakura siad with a smile. "Are you ready to go to work?" she asked him as they walked out of the hospital together.

"Of course I am! I'm so glad Emi is giving me this job!" Naruto said.

"Mission money has been pretty sort, huh?" Sakura asked him.

"Yeah, Sasuke and Sai have someone to help pay for their homes, but we don't," ANruto said.

"And I have my hospital salary," Sakura pointed out as they came to the downtown district of Konoha. People were everywhere, the late afternoon sun shining brightly in the sky.

"Yeah, but I don't have anything to help me keep my place," Naruto said. "So I need a flexible job."

"Emi is good at that," Sakura said. "Don't worry, she can easily cover for you on missions."

"Awesome!" Naruto said with a grin. "It's like I'm a Haruno now."

"Yeah, we adopted you," Sakura siad with a grin.

"Hey, I fit right in," Naruto said as he looped his arm around Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura laughed. "You sure do," she said with a smile.

They reached Emi's tea shop and went into the alley next to it. Haru was out there, a cigarette in between his fingers as he sat on the fire escape outside. He smiled at them, giving both of the shinobi a wave. Next to him were two girls, both wearing the same light blue yuktas with gray obi's. Haru and Naruto wore the opposite, their kimonos a light gray and their obi's a light blue color.

"Hi Sakura," One of the girls said as Sakura walked over.

"Hey," Sakura greeted back.

"Hi Naruto," the other said with a flirtatious giggle.

"I'll see you inside, I have to change out of my hospital clothes," Sakura said.

Naruto walked inside and into the kitchen. Takashi was in there next to the grill, cooking the dango and boiling the tea in huge pots of water. "Hey Naruto," he siad with a wave.

"Hey Takashi, is Emi here?" Naruto asked as he pulled out his timecard next to the doorway into the alley. He punched in, then grabbed Sakura's card and punched her in too.

"Yeah, Emi is at her usual table," Takashi siad.

ANruto went out of the kitchen and saw Emi in the back at the tea shop. He walked over and saw her deep in concentration, as she continued to leaf thorugh letters and papers on the table in front of her. She punched numbers into a calculator on the table, a frown knitting her brows.

"Hey Emi," Naruto said as he approached the table.

"Oh hi dearie," Emi said as she looked up, a smile on her face. "Aki called out sick again, Lailah has to take care of her brother, and Tsubaki's mom is sick in the hospital. the twins outside smoking with Haru punched out ten minutes ago. It's just you, Takashi, Sakura and Haru tonight," she filled him in.

"not again," Naruto groaned.

"Yes, sorry dearie," Emi said, her face apologetic. "Sakura will work the front as a greeter and waitress, you and Haru will wait the tables and clean them up. Takashi is cooking tonight, and I have to leave soon. It's a Tuesday, so hopefully it won't be that busy."

"Hopefully," ANruto said with a smile.

"Thanks so much for your help," Emi said. "I'm paying you, Sakura and Haru time and a half today, because you three are doing the work of six people."

"Wow, thanks Emi," Naruto said with a smile.

"It's nothing," Emi siad. "Just promise me you'll take some food home to eat for dinner later. Tell AHru I said to cook you up some leftovers."

"With pleasure," Naruto said, his mouth watering as he thought of the savory food Haru could cook up.

Naruto saw Sakura walk out, her blue kimono on and her hair tied up in a loose ponytail. Her bangs hung down around her face, framing her green eyes. "I'll take the front tables, you ge thte middle, and get AHru's ass in ehre, he can take the back," Sakura said as she walked over to him.

"No problem Sakura. If you get caught up front give me a holler and I'll take over your tables," Naruto said as Sakura walked to the front of the tea shop.

"Thanks Naruto," sAkura said with a smile.

Naruto grabbed a large bin from the back and cleared off two dirty tables. He sprayed the last table, cleaning it with a towel. Naruto walked back in and put the dishes next to the sink where Takashi was cleaning them. Naruto poked his head out the back door to see the two twins drooling over AHru.

"hey Haru, it's just the three of us tonight," Naruto hollered out to him. "Get your ass in here!"

"You got it," Haru said as he jumped up, making the two girls whine. "I'll see you later," he said to them as he stomped out his cigatette.

"Midori will kill you if she sees you smoking," Naruto said with a grin.

"Knowing her, she already knows that I smoke at work," Haru siad with a grin rivaling Naruto's.

Naruto laughed as he walked back into the dining area. He saw Sakura seating a family in his section, so he walked over to greet them. "Hi, and welcome to Aya's Tea Shop," Naruto greeted the family. There was an elderly couple in the booth, along with a daughter around Emi's age.

"Hmph, the tea selection here is nothing to get exited about. I hardly know any of these types," the grandpa said, his voice low and grumbly.

"Most of the tea here is from Iwagakure," Naruto said, trying to keep his temper in check. "We also serve some Konoha favorites, and a few specialty mixes found only in the mountains of Iwagakure."

"I'll have the Yakizakana (1) with the dragon fruit lychee tea," the wife said with a smile to ANruto.

"Sure. And what would you like?" ANruto asked the daughter.

"I'll have the Yakiniku (2) with some dumplings please," the daughter said.

"And what to drink?" Naruto asked her.

"Can we have a pot of the SAkurayu (3) tea special blend *," she siad.

"And you?" Naruto asked the grandpa.

"Give me the ebi (4) tempura boy, and tell the chef to make sure it's extra crispy," the old man snapped at ANruto.

"Extra… crispy…. All right, your food will be out shortly," ANruto said, a vein in his temple throbbing.

He walked back the kitchen to give takashi the order. "Watch it ANruto, you'll break your pad clenching it like that," Takashi said as ANruto snapped the order up to the window.

"That old man is a jackass," Naruto said.

"Keep it together sonny, Emi can't afford to have angry customers in here," Takakshi advised.

Naruto sighed. "I know," he said.

"Here's your tea for that table," Takashi siad as he handed Naruto a tray with a tea pot, tea cups, and one full cup on it.

"Thanks," ANruto siad as he took the tea back out to the table. He smiled his trademark grin as he approached the table. "Here's your Sakurayu tea and your dragon fruit lychee tea. Yor food will be out shortly."

None of the people looked at him as he placed the tea pot and cups on the table. Naruto looked around and saw that another table had finished eating.

"Hi, do you guys need anything else?" he asked them.

"No, just the check," the woman said.

Naruto went back to the kitchen and grabbed their slip with the table's order. He quickly looked at the menu tacked up near the kitchen window, and wrote down the prices and the total.

"Here you are," he siad as he handed the woman the slip, folded over so that none of the other guests could see the total.

"Thank you," the woman said.

ANruto saw Sakura up at the front helping a customer, so he decided to help her out. He wnt back and got a bin for the dishes, sweeping them into it and drying off the table. ANruto grabbed the tip, making a quick mental note to hadn it to Sakura later.

There were two families in Haru's section. Sakura only ahd one group of men, about four of them, all a bit older than her. Naruto ahd three families, one with little kids, the old grump's group, and one group of giggling girls. Every time AHru passed them, ANruto saw them sigh. It made him sick just looking at them.

The family he gave the check to had left. ANruto quickly cleaned up their table, ocketing a nice big tip as he did.

He went back to the kitchen and grabbed two trays of food. Quickly, Naruto made a shadow clone ohimself, grinning as he did so. The shadow clone took the food to Sakura's table, while the real ANruto took the food to the grump's table.

"Here you are," Naruto said as he placed the dishes in front of each of them. "If you need anything, feel free to stop on of us," he said with a grin.

He walked back to the kitchen, his shadow clone disappearing as soon as they got in the door. "Man, you got a rough one kid," Takashi said. "That old guy just loves complaingin. And those guys in Sakura's section just love to pick on the girls here. Luckily the night is almost done. I don't think we'll get any more in, it's a little late."

"Thank god. That old man is driving me up a wall," ANruto said as he took a tray with tea for Sakura's section.

"I'd worry about the older ones if I were you," Takashi said. "I know Sakura can handle herself, but those chunin were harassing a few waitresses last time they came in. Don't make a scene, no matter what they say," he advised.

"You got it," ANruto said as he took the tea pot out.

"Here is your Iwa-style* Kukicha (5)," Naruto siad as he set the boiling pot on the table.

"Hey, where is that cute girl?" one of the chunin asked him.

"Why isn't she serving us?" another asked.

"She is busy with other customers," Naruto said flatly.

"Aww, I'd like to see her bend over the table, that's for sure," one siad with a grin, amking the others chuckle at him, all of them grinning from ear to ear.

ANruto wanted nothing more than to deck them all. He took a deep breath, trying to keep in his temper. "Anything else?" he managed to say in an almost normal voice.

"Yeah, wehre are the cute girls? This place has nice tea and all, but we come here to see the cute waitresses walking around in their yuktas," one asked Anruto.

"They called out sick," ANruto said as he walked away. He walked up to the next table, a smile once again on his face. "Can I take your order?" he asked the two men sititng there in their Hyuga clan clothes. Naruto could tell they were obviously branch members of the clan.

"Yes, Give me the Gyokuro (6) tea with the Oshiruko sweets (7). What do you suggest from the menu?" the man asked him.

"I definitely suggest any nimono (8)," ANruto said. "Our cook Takashi makes a mean Motoyaki (9) and a delicious Yakiniku (2). The yakiniku is flavored with some herbs* that grow in the Iwa mountains and it tastes amazing!" he siad excitedly.

"Sounds good. I'll have one order of the yakiniku," the Hyuga siad.

"So will I," the other said. "And one Umecha (10) tea with some Anko (11) dango.

"You got it," ANruto said. "It'll be out in a moment."

"Boy!" the old man called to him as he walked back to the kitchen.

Naruto sighed, his sholders sagging for a second. This job was way more work than any mission he had in a long time. He walked over to the table, not even bothering to grin or smile. "Can I help you sir?" he asked in a tired voice, knowing what was coming.

"Yeah! I asked for my tempura extra crispy, and this is soggy and flat! Not to mention your tea is weak and completely tasteless! I've never had Sakurayu tea like this before!" the man began to rant at ANruto.

"Sir, this Sakarayu tea is a special type of blend. The Sakura trees it is made from come from far north in the mountains of Iwa, so the flavor is different. It is also combined with diamona root *, which grows only in Iwa," Anruto said.

"Take this tempura back," the man said as he handed Anruto an empty plate.

"WHAT! It can't be that bad, you ate it all!" Naruto said indignantly.

"I demand a refund!" the man said as he glared at Naruto.

"No way!" Naruto siad, his patience about at an end. He was about to add in a few of his choice swear words when the man spoke again.

"I'd like to see a manager," the man said, his face turning an ugly red color as he argued with ANruto.

"Sure," ANruto said as he turned on his heel and marched back to where Emi was sitting. Emi looked up as he walked in, a pair of glasses perched on the end of her nose. "Emi, a customer is complaing about their food," ANruto said to her. "He says the tempura is too soggy and the tea is weak, but he ate all the tempura."

"Oh dear, let me take care fo this," Emi said as she took of her glasses, folding them neatly and putting them on the table. She stood and walked over to the table, ANruto in her wake.

"Hello, I am the owner Emi AHruno," Emi introduced herself. "How may I help you?"

"This tempura was soggy!" the man said immediately, shoving his plate at Emi. "And your little waiter here was rude to me in front of the whole restauraunt. I demand he is fired on the spot."

"Excuse me, but how can the tempura be soggy? There's no tempura left," Emi said with a smile, making ANruto snigger behind her.

Thd man's eyes locked onto Naruto before he turned to give Emi a piece of his mind. "Look here, I ma not paying for this tempura. It was not cooked to order, and it was completely horrible!"

"Look, if you just sent it back when you first got it, then I could help you," Emi said as she placed her hands on her hips, her voice hard and stern. Her eyes blazed as her attitude came out in full force. "There is nothing wrong with my food, and you are going to pay up when you are done because obviously it was goodf enough to eat, you old coot."

"How dare you!" the man shrieked. "I am an upstanding citizen!"

"I don't give a rat's ass if you are the Hokage herself, you are trying to get a free meal out of me, and like hell am I going to let you leave here without paying!" Emi said forcefully, her chakra spiking, making Naruto shiver as he sensed it. "And you are going to leave a good tip for my employee for all the trouble you've caused him!" she added in at the end.

The man stayed silent, obviously shocked by her outburst. Emi turned on her heel and went back to her table, ANruto following behind her.

"Emi! That was amazing!" Naruto said reverently, his eyes filled with wonder.

"That old man does this all the time. He just needs to be put in his place," Emi said as she sat back down. "Takashi might need to leave early. If he does then Haru is taking over for him. You can take AHru's section, since the night is winding down. Once these customers leave, it will be empty in here," she siad.

"Thanks Emi," Naruto said with a smile

"Oh ANruto, you are like part of my family. And no one messes with my family," Emi siad with a smile.

ANruto smiled as he went back to the kitchen and placed the hyuga's order. He looked out and saw the chunin group trying to hit on Sakura. She was smiling, but ANruto knew that she was one more pick up line away from pummeling them to next week.

"Order's up on the other table," Takashi said as he gave Anruto the tea for the Hyuga table.

Naruto grabbed the tea and brought it over, placing each one next to the Hyuga. He sighed, knowing ti was going to be a long night….

Later that night, ANruto, Sakura nad Haru sat in the kitchen, while the restauraunt was deserted. Haru had cooked up some Kushikatsu (12) for them, along with a few shrimp tempura pieces.

He was currently cooking up some Mitarashi (13) dango that was left over. There was a huge take out box already filled with Hanami (14) dango, some korokke (15) and bocchan (16) dango, along with the leftover anko dango.

He also made a big pot of gyudon (17) for Naruto and Sakura to split, each of them taking home enough food to feed four people. Apparently the Haruno's did not believe in wasting food, or leaving anyone without a meal.

Anruto smiled as he ate his kushikatsu, Sakura resting her feet on his lap as she lounged back against her chair.

"So Sakura-chan, how does Itachi stack up in the sack?" he asked her, earning a big smack to the back of the head form her.

"None of your business," she said plainly, givin him a small glare.

"Hey Haru, how do you get so many girls?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know," Haru siad. "I don't really want them, you see I have someone waiting for me back in Iwa."

"What! Who?" ANruto asked.

Haru took out a picture from his obi and handed it over. ANruto saw a beautiful woman in it, with an odd colored hair. It was a light blue with dark blue tips, long and flowing out behind her. The woman was smiling as she looked at the camera, looking not much older than Sakura.

"That is Tsuki, my fiancée," AHru said with a smile.

"fiancée?" Naruto said, shock in his voice. "You have a fiancée?"

"All of us do," Haru said with a smile. "They are chosen for us when we are born. Our parents choose, but each choice must be brought before the Main Branch for approval. If the Clan Head does not approve, then we have to try again."

"Wow, she's pretty," Naruto said in awe. "Do you love her?"

"Love her?" AHru siad as he thought about it. "I'm not sure. I like her more than any other girl I have met. I guess that counts for something." He said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"So if all of you have a fiancée, who is your's Sakura?" Naruto asked her.

"I don't have one," Sakura said plainly.

"Oh really? I guess then you and Itachi are fine then," Naruto siad. "Where is he, by the way?"

"His ANBU squad had a mission," Sakura said sadly. "He's been gone for a week already, and I don't know when he is coming back."

"Awww, we should have a squad night, you, me, Sasuke and Sai," Naruto suggested when he saw how sad his friend was.

Sakura perked up with a smile. "That would be great Naruto. Just this time, don't destroy my apartment," she said with a smile.

"No problem," he said with a smile. "We'll be over on Friday. I'll bring movies, and you can bring the food."

"I'll be in on Thursday night, so I'll cook up something for you guys," Haru said with a smile.

"Wow, thanks Haru, you're the best!" Naruto said excitedly. "You can cook for me any time!"

"Sure Naruto," Haru siad. "Takashi taught me to cook when Saido started having him take on more construction jobs. I'm sure he wouldn't mind teaching you how to cook as well," Haru told Naruto.

"Some of the spices you guys use here I've nev seen before," ANruto siad.

"Well, most of them come from Iwa," Sakura said. "One of our cousins has a plot of land outside of Konoha and grows the spices just like in the mountains. We buy from him, and so does most of our clan."

"They sure are good," Naruto said with a smile.

"So how's Hinata doing?" Sakura asked Naruto.

"She's good. I think her old man is finally coming around to her dating me too. I'll tell you this, he wasn't exited the first time I came over. I's surprised he didn't throw me out the moment he saw me, to tell you the truth," Naruto said.

"Why would he throw you out?" Sakura asked surprised.

"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't want his daughter dating a jinchurichi," Naruto said.

"You're a jinchurichi?" Haru asked shocked.

"Yeah," Naruto said sadly. "I never knew ehy most of the older citizens hated me until I was told that the nine tailed fox is inside of me. That's why they all hate me."

"Naruto, you don't understand," Haru said excitedly. "Our clan reveres the biju as our guardians. Jinchurichi are sacred to us! You have to talk to Midori about this!"

"Wait, you guys actually like jinchurichi?" Naruto asked, his voice barely containing his amazement.

"Of course!" Haru said. "Our legends tell us that our ancestor was the first jinchurichi, and that he became friends with the first biju, the ten tailed dragon. When humans began hunting the dragon for its power, our ancestor sealed it away in the moon to protect it, and guarded the separate parts of the dragon."

"Wow, really?" Naruto asked.

"Talk to Midori about this Naruto, she knows all the legends," Sakura said with a smile. "She has to, after all she is the clan shaman."

"So what other deities does your clan worship?" Naruto asked, interested.

"Well, there are a few smaller mountain kami that we try to keep appeased," Haru said. "Actually, we have a festival coming up that celebrates out ancestor. It basically is a storytelling about our origins, and our beliefs. You should come, everyone would love you there," he said.

"That is if we can have the festival," Sakura said.

"What do you mean if?" Naruto asked her.

"Well, there is a new move inside the council to cancel the festival this year," Sakura said.

"Let me guess, Danzo?" Haru asked, his voice barely containing his anger.

"Yeah," Sakura said. "His excuse is that if we really wanted to assimilate into Konoha, we wouldn't have to have our own festivals," she said. "He is quietly moving for the council to reject our festival application this year."

"Wow, so they want to cancel the biggest festival for our clan, yet we hold it outside of Konoha, and have to keep to a special curfew time. Jeeze, what more do they want from us?" Haru asked angrily as he threw his towel across the kitchen.

"Why is he doing this to your clan?" Naruto asked.

"I think he wants us to leave Konoha," Sakura said quietly.

"Why?" Naruto asked her

"Well, we have an agreement with him," Sakura said. "Danzo convinced the Third Hokage to let us into the village. In return, we showed him how to use a special clan jutsu that allows him to monitor his ROOT agents."

"Wow, what does the jutsu do?" Naruto asked.

"I'm sorry ANruto, I can't tell you that," Sakura said. "It's a secret."

"Okay Sakura," Naruto said. "But then why would he want to get rid of you guys?"

"I'm not sure," Sakura said. "We control the jutsu that keeps ROOT together. I think he wants us out of here so that there is no chance we'll trun on him. Basically, he's trying up a loose end in whatever plan he has."

"I disagree," Haru said as he began to prepare the food for tomorrow. The kushiyaki (18) was being marinated overnight, and Haru began pouring ingredients into a bowl to make the marinade.

"What do you think Haru?" Naruto asked him.

"I still think Danzo is working with someone outside Konoha," Haru siad.

"Haru, that is treason," Sakura siad. "Danzo was the Second Hokage's student. I don't think he would betray Konoha."

"Orochimaru was the Third's student, and he is one of the most famous traitors in Konoha's history," Haru pointed out.

"Still, I can't see Danzo betraying the village," Sakura argued.

"Who would he be working for?" Naruto asked.

"I think wither Iwa or Orochimaru," Haru said. "Hear me out," he siad as he pointed his stirring whisk at the two shinobi. "He knows of our clan's kekkei genkai, when most ninja just think our clan doesn't have one. And, he knew of our skills before we even asked him for help. Now, who else knows of our skills? Why, the Tsuchikage, and of couse Orochimaru," AHru argued.

"How does Orochimaru know about you guys?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto, you can't tell anyone this," Sakura siad. "I mean it, the village would kick us out in a heartbeat if they learned this information."

"I promise to keep it a secret," ANruto said.

"Well, Orochimaru and the Haruno Clan Head worked together developing jutsus for a long time," Sakura siad. "One of the reasons we left for Konoha, specifically, was that they tested these experiments on branch members. Orochimaru wouldn't dare come near Konoha, so we took refuge here."

"wait, they tested experiments on you guys?" Naruto asked in amazement.

"Well, not SKAura," Haru said as he splaced the chicken in the marinade. "She was half main branch, so she wasn't experimented on. But yeah, many AHruno's died from the experiments. Some went mad, and some became horribly disfigured."

"But the more powerful ones were left alone," Sakura pointed out. "Emi's family was one, because she fought so well in the war against Konoha. They want to keep the powerful branches and weed out some of the more weak ones."

"Midori also was left alone," AHru said. "Because she is the shaman, her chakra is different from regular ninja."

"What kind of experiments did they do?" Naruto asked them.

"Mostly perfecting curse seals," Haru said.

"We got tired of having to see our family die and our people mutilated for some madman," Sakura siad forcefully. "So we left the village. Someday, we will go back and take the Clan Head down. But until then, we just need to lay low in Konoha."

"When will you go back?" ANruto asked.

"Not for a long time," Sakura said.

"Well, maybe not that long," AHru said with a sideways glance at Sakura. "The Anagnikai tournament not too far away."

"What's that?" ANruto asked.

"Anagnikai is a fighting tournament," Sakura siad. "Any AHruno clan member can enter, as long as they prove their blood relation to the clan. The winner of the tournament gets one wish granted by the cLan head. No matter what the request is, the clan head has to grant it."

"So, you could ask for the experiments to stop?" Naruto guessed.

"It could be anything," Sakura siad. "However, because of the curse seal branch emmeber have, almost always a member of the main branch wins," Sakura said.

"You can use any jutsu you like," Haru explained. "And curse seals count. Pretty much you can do anything you want."

"Wow, so when is this tournament?" ANruto asked.

"It's not for a while," Sakura explained. "Usually it comes around every ten years. One year for each biju, and then the last year it is on the holiday that celebrated the ten tailed dragon."

"So what are some of the things people asked for before?" ANruto asked, intrigued.

"Well, one story says that a winner asked for money," Haru said.

"Antoher story is that a branch member won, and got his curse seal removed on his family," Sakura pointed out.

"Oh, and the last one was won by the current heir," Haru said.

"The one before it was won by my dad," Sakura said absent mindedly.

"Wow! Really? What did he wish for?" ANruto asked her.

"He asked that he could marry the woman he loved," Haru said as he placed the chicken into a baking dish. "She was betrothed to someone else. But unfortunately, she kinda didn't like exactly the way he liked her," he explained as he poured the rest of the marinade onto the chicken.

"She loved him in the end," Sakura said softly. "My mom really did love him."

Haru nodded as he started to bread the pork and chicken for the katsu (19). "I'm sure she did. But Emi sure as hell never forgave him," Haru said.

Sakura sighed. "Oh well," she said.

"Almost done," Haru said as he finshed the pork and began working on the chicken. "I'll make the Himono (20) specialty tomorrow when I come in. After this, we can all go home."

"All right!" Naruto cheered.

"So are you going to take Hinata out for her birthday?" Sakura asked Naruto.

"Yeah, but I have no clue where," ANruto said. "I'm barely scraping together the money for my apartment, I havno clue how I'm going to get her a present, or even take her out. But the worst part is that she'll just smile and be okay with it! She deserves so much more than what I have," he said sadly.

"Well, we might be able to help you with that," AHru said with a grin.

"I'm listening….." Naruto said.

/

Naruto smiled as he walked home form Sakura's house. He couldn't bring himself to let her walk home alone, even if she was an incredible kunoichi. After making sure Sakura got home safe, Naruto headed to his apartment, humming a small song to himself.

He reached his door without any trouble, and fumbled a bit for his keys. When he found them, he quickly unlocked the door and walked inside.

Naruto sighed as he dropped off the large containers of food Haru packed for him. He threw odd his kimono, leaving only a pair of pants on.

He smiled as he thought of Emi's small tea shop, and the fun he had there. Sure, there were some pains in the asses, but working alongside his best friend Sakura was a plus. Haru was also a good guy, and Emi was the greatest woman Naruto knew.

He put the extra food in the fridge and went back in his living room. He plopped down on the new couch he got from Emi. It was easily the most comfortable couch his butt had ever sat on. It was perfect, firm enough so he wouldn't sink in, but soft enough to cradle each cheek like a newborn baby.

It also use to belong to Emi. After her husbnd's death, Emi had to downsize a bit. She sold her apartment and moved into one of the buildings she owned. It was a lot smaller, but Emi was making the best of it. When she found out ANruto didn't have a couch, she gave him this, instead of selling it. The other Haruno's pitched in, helping her move and buying some of her old belongings that just wouldn't fit into the new place.

Naruto sighed, a smile on his face as he turned on the tv to see what was on.

A few moments later he heard a knock at his door.

Naruto groaned and stood, rubbing his back as he did. "I'm coming, I'm coming…." he mumbled as he walked over, the knocking growing louder and more frantic as he moved forward.

Naruto opened the door, and his eyes widened.

Standing outside was Hinata. She had a gray kimono on, a black cat thrown over it as if she had just ran all the way to his house. She was panting, her body shivering as she wavered where she stood.

"Naruto…." She said softly, a smile on her face.

"Hinata! What are you doing here?" Naruto asked as he quickly ushered her in. She stumbled a bit on his doorframe, and he caught her before she fell. Hinata stood, her weight all on one leg. Naruto noticed then that she was limping, wincing ever so slightly when she put weight on her right leg.

"Here, hold onto me," Naruto said as he picked her up bridal-style, and carried her into his living room. He gently set her down on his new couch, making sure not to jostle her leg.

"Is this new?" Hinata asked him, her voice soft.

"Yeah, Emi gave it to me," Naruto said as he knelt down in front of her, his hand on her knee. He looked up into her white milk eyes, his face completely serious. "Hinata, what happened?" he asked her softly.

"Oh Naruto," Hinata sniffed. "You see… my father was training with me…. When the head of the Hyuga council came up to us….. and offered to train me instead…. My father couldn't refuse, so he had to let me go…." She said, tears forming in her eyes.

For the first time, Naruto noticed some light purple marks starting to form on her face. They were around her eye, and followed her face down to her neck. She was cradling her left arm, as if it was hurt badly. He could smell the metallic scent of blood coming from her arm. Her leg was injured, sprained if he had to guess. All in all, Hinata was in bad shape.

"What did he do?" Naruto growled.

"Oh Naruto," Hinata whimpered as her eyes began to tear. "I tried… I… I…. really did. I…I tried to fight him. But the council head was too strong. I know… I know… he wants Hanabi to be the next clan head. He.. he tried to kill me ANruto. I barely escaped with my life," Hinata whimpered.

Naruto's eyes widened, his heart turning cold. White hot rage raced through him, making his blood boil. His body remained numb, frozen almost in disbelief. The rage continued, burning him from the inside out. A face swam before him, not Hinata's, but another woman… A blonde woman, with long curly hair, wearing a miko's kimono, bruises running up and down her face as she cried.

Naruto felt the Kyubi's roar reverberating inside his chest. tHe demon clawed at him, trying desperately to free itself. It's rage raced through ANruto's veins, their emotions for a split second molding together perfectly in harmony.

"Naruto?" Hinata asked softly, her voice hesitant.

It was then that Hinata felt it. A gigantic chakra spike coming form Naruto, his chakra hot like flames. He looked up at her, and Hinata gasped when she saw his usual twinkling blue eyes had turned a deep blood red, like the flames of a fire.

"Nar…to…." She said again, softly.

Naruto smirked. "Not Naruto, girl," he said, his voice harder and deeper than usual. "I am the Kyubi, the reason why your father and the village hates this container. Do you see now what I am?" he asked as his hand came up to her face, gently cupping her cheek.

"Ky..u…bi…" Hinata stuttered, her eyes wide.

"Yes," Kyubi said, the sadistic smirk still on Nartuo's face. "Poor little bird, so fragile and delicate…. After so many years, I still do not understand why humans have a desire to break something so soft as you," he said, his smile softening as he pulled her down, using her good arm. He sat on the floor, holding her in his lap, his breath tickling her neck.

Hinata shivered in fear as she felt ANruto's body. He was burning up, as if heat was rolling off on him in waves. His arms, wich were usally so gentile, felt like a cage as they hugged her close to him, as the Kyubi pressed Naruto's face into her neck.

"You smell so good," he murmured. "I remember smelling this so many years ago…"

"Ky…u…bi…." Hinata managed to choke out.

"You remind me so much of her," he murmured, his tongue licking her neck slowly, making her body shiver. "Ayame. She was just like you, a beautiful china doll. Like you, humans tried to break her, even her own parents."

"Who was she?" Hinata asked, her breth hitched as ANruto's arms crushed her into his chest.

"She was a Haruno," Kyubi replied, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. "The first shaman of the Haruno clan…"

"_Ahh, my son," came the deep rumbling voice of the Ten Tailed Dragon. In front of the dragon stood Kyubi, all of his power laid bare for the world to see. The dragon had scaled down its size, so as to balance a human on it's shoulders. _

"_It's disgraceful, father, that you allow a human to sit on you like you are a beast of burden!" Kyubi snapped as he shrank, sinking to about the same level as the dragon. The human sitting on his father's back was a man, with long red hair the color of flames. His bright green eyes looked over Kyubi, merriment twinkling in them. He wore the armor of a samurai, without the helmet on. A large sword was strapped to his side, a gift from the ten tailed dragon._

"_This human has earned his spot," the drangon rumbled as he rested on the ground, his head on his front paws. "His clan members are the only humans who respect this earth like us. They guard it, and care for it like humans should be doing."_

"_Even so, he is only a human," Kyubi spat at the dragon._

"_Humans are more powerful than you give them credit for," the dragon said. "I have learned this, and so should you. The humans have created ways to seal us, and bind us. The human known as the Sage of Six Paths is coming for me at this very moement."_

"_Then we fight father!" Kyubi roared, making the trees shake._

"_No, my son," the dragon said. "It is inevitable that eventually the humans will control us. I have seen this in the stars for many years. I see that they can now bind us to one of their own kind, creating a 'container' for us, and harnessing our power."_

"_Then what will you do father?" Kyubi demanded._

"_This man has offered to seal me in the moon," the dragon said._

"_WHAT!" Kyubi roared. "This is preposterous!"_

"_No, my son, it is not," the dragon said. "His clan has agreed to be our guardians, watching over the gateway to the moon, and protecting me for as long as they exist. I believe this is the best choice, my son."_

"_Why not just destroy this Sage?" Kyubi asked. "Why not destroy them all?"_

"_Because Kyubi-sama, that will destroy the balance in this world," the Haruno said._

"_Be silent insolent human!" Kyubi roared._

"_He is right," the dragon said. "I will go to the moon. I am tired, my son. I have lived for many millennia and have seen the world flourish. We are a dyign race, and old race to be forgotten in this new world. We are the past, my son, and we must allow these humans to create the future."_

"_So you are giving up like that?" the Kyubi accused him._

"_Insolent child," the dragon said, malice hidden deep within his voice. "I called you here so you will learn some respect. You will serve the Haruno clan as their guardian, until you learn the importance of life, which you have forgotten."_

"_NO! Father no!" Kubi roared as his father's words started to affect him. Black waves from the ground shot up, encircling around him. _

"_You cannot disobey me, my son," the dragon said, as the Kyubi felt his powers fleeing from him…._

"You see, my dear, I was forced to serve the AHruno clan as their guardian diety," Kyubi siad. "And they did not disspaoint. They made me a shrine in their city, and left me alone, until one day….."

_Kyubi sat in the garden of the Clan Shrine, lying in the shade. He felt a presence in the shrine, and turned his head to take a look._

_A young woman was standing in the doorway. Her hair was the same blonde as the Haruno who sealed his father. Her eyes, hwoever, were w dazzling blue, that captivated him as they stared at him. So far, the Haruno's had left him alone, preferring to only come up to pray at the shrine on major holidays. The Kyubi liked it this way. They left him alone, and he couldn't be bothered with them._

_He was wondering what this woman was doing here. She knelt onto the wooden floor benath her feel, and bowed low to him. "Guardian Kyubi," she said softly, her voice hesitant and high, as if she was singing. "I am here to serve you as the shaman of this shrine," she said._

"_I do not need a shaman," Kyubi growled as he laid on his belly, his legs tucked beneath him. He could see instantly that his head would come up to her waist, his tails reaching far over her body. sHe was thin, her wrists and arms like toothpicks. _

"_Please let me do this!" the girl pleaded, her head down. "I will not disappoint you!"_

"_GET OUT!" he roared at her. _

_She flinched, but did not move. Kyubi watched in wonder as she looked up, her blue eyes sparkling with determination. Her resolve was strong, and in that moment he saw a strong sprit, capable of anything. AMybe this was what his father was talking about. Humans had this resolve, this iron-clad will that had been lost for generations._

"_No," the woman said calmly._

_Kyubi growled, as he flicked one of his tails at her. It hit her chest, sending her flying out through the shrine and onto the street outside. Kyubi hoped that would be enough to teach her a lesson, and she would never return._

_But that is not how this story goes._

_Kyubi was lying down on the floor of the shrine when he smelled her. It was the same woman he kicked out of the shrine a few days ago. She returned, sliding the door open slowly, panting slightly as she came into the shrine._

_He looked up, and was shocked at what he saw. The woman looked horrible, completely beaten up and ragged. One leg was bleeding profusely, and she limped so as not to put pressure on it. Her face was covered in bruises, that stretched down into the neckline of her kimono. _

_She knelt, her whole body shivering. "Please, I am here to serve as a shaman," she said, her voice gravelly and cracked, completely unlike what he heard a few days ago. "I promise, I will not disappoint you. Just, please, let me do this."_

"_Why should I?" Kyubi asked._

"_Kill me if you want," she said, her eyes once again showing her iron will. "But I am not leaving this shrine."_

"_You have an iron will, woman," Kyubi said. "What is your name?"_

"_Ayame Haruno," the girl said, a bit hesitantly._

"_So, Ayame, who did this to you?" he asked as he lifted his head, surveying her with interest._

_Her back stiffened, and her eyes went back down to the floor. "Look at me!" Kyubi snarled, making her flinch. _

"_I failed last time, so I was punished," she said quietly. "I was supposed to become the shaman of this shrine, and instead I was kicked out."_

_Kyubi simply looked at her. She looked horrible, but the fire he first saw in her was still burning. In an instant, he felt a stab of some emotion… he felt a sinking, horrible feeling inside that he did this to her. Maybe this was what his father was talking about…._

"_Fine," he said sharply, making her jolt a bit. "Stay. But do not get in my way, or you will regret it," he warned her._

"_Thank you! Thank you!" she said happily. "I promise I won't disappoint you!" she said, a smile on her face that lit up the whole room. _

"_You'd better not," Kyubi warned. "First, come here girl," he commanded._

_She stood, shakily, and slowly limped over to him. She sat down in front of him, her legs tucked underneath her. Her body swayed a bit, however she held her place in front of him. She smiled up at him, as if nothing could shqke her happness._

"_Show me your arm," he commanded. She pulled up the sleeve on her kimono to reveal some messy, deep blade marks that bleed profusely. Kyubi leaned his head down, his breath hot against her skin. His tongue flicked out, softly caressing her skin. She gasped as she felt a momentary spark of pain before it receded, her skin feeling pleasantly warm. His tongue licked her whole arm, taking away every trace of blood on it. Ayame gasped as she saw the skin there, unmarked and unscarred, with no trace that there was ever a cut._

"_Thank you," she stammered, in awe as she held her arm up to look at it._

"_Now, your leg," he said sharply. _

_Ayame looked down as she slowly lifted the flap of her kimono. Her leg was worse, and Kyubi could see clearly the bone was broken. He was surprised she even made it all the way to the shrine, in the condition her body was in. _

_His tongue darted out, as he movd closer to reach the gash on her calf. She sighed pleasantly, before the pain hit. Ayame shrieked at the top of her lungs in pain as, with a resounding crack, the bone was fused together once more. _

_Her eyes finally closed slightly as her body wobbled. She fainted from the pain, her body collapsing on the ground. _

_Kyubi simply used his tails to lift her up, lying her down next to him. Two of his tails cradled her body in a warm blanket, while one reached around to pillow her head. He almost smiled as he looked down at her face, so serene and peaceful….._

"Those were peaceful times with Ayame. She was soft spoken and quiet most of the time, however her streak of subborness never went away. For the first time I was happy," Kyubi said softly. "I wanted those years to last forever….."

"_Kyubi!" Ayame called as she peeked out the back of the shrine into the woods to see the nine tailed fox asleep in under a tree. "Kyubi, lunch time!" she called, a basket of clothes in her arms._

_She smiled as she walked over to the clothes line she had strung up in the back o the shrine. She began to place her clothes on the line, careful to tie them down so they would not blow away in the wind. "Kyubi, come on, I know you are awake," she called to him, her voice like windchimes on the breeze._

"_I'm up," came a low rumble from under the tree. _

_Ayame shrieked as a ball of orange fur pounced on her. Kubi had shrunk in size so he would not hurt Ayame when he surprised her like this. He was now the size of a cat as she closed her arms around him, cradling him next to her chest. He could hear her heartbeat, clear and strong as day. He smiled as he nuzzled into her arms, purrling softly._

"_Silly," she said softly as she scratched him behind his ears. He purred in her arms as she walked back into the shrine. They went past the main area to a back room where Ayame lived. There was a simple wooden stove and a cooking area to one side. On the other was a bookshelf, housing Ayame's collection. A bunch of furs, blankets, and pillows were piled on one wall in a heap, creating some sembalance of a bed. The room had a single table in the middle, where a plate of raw meat and delicately sliced fish sat._

_Kyubi jumped out of Ayame's arms and over to the table. He grew a bit, so he was at the perfect level to eat when he sat back on his hindquarters. Ayame grabbed a plate form one of the cabinets and ried and spooned out her lunch from inside the oven. She had a simple plate of fish, served over rice. She had strung dried and fresh herbs from the celling of the room, which she used for cooking and for healing. Ayame grabbed a small snip of one and ground it in her hands before sprinkling over her food._

_She sat down with Kyubi and the two started to eat their lunch. "Kyubi," Ayame said softly, her voice quiet. "A messenger came while you were outside. I am being called to appear before my parents tomorrow," she said._

"_What! Why?" Kyubi demanded. _

"_They apparently will tell me then," Ayame said, her voice wavering as if she was on the verge of tears._

"_Ayame, don't go!" Kyubi said, his voice desperate. "You always come back hurt when you go to see your parents!" Kyubi pleaded with her._

_Ayame gave him a soft smile in return. "Don't worry, I'll be fine Kyubi," she said, her voice as soft as her smile. "Besides, you always fix me up when I come back."_

"_ther is going to be a time where my healing powers won't work on you," Kyubi told her. "Then what will you do?" he asked herf._

"_I think the real question is, what are you going to do, Kyubi?" Ayame asked him._

"_I will be sad if you leave," Kyubi said, his face tunred down towards the ground. _

"_Don't worry, I'll be back," ayame siad. "This is the first place where I've truly been happy. I won't give it up so easily."_

"_please promise me you'll be safe, Ayame," Kyubi insisted._

_Ayame smiled as she reached across to pet his head. "I will be fine, Kyubi," she said with a smile._

_The next day…_

_Kyubi sat, staring at the door to the shrine. He had been sitting in this position since Ayame left, paitently waiting for her to come back. _

_He sniffed the air, as he caught the familiar scent. He rushed to the door as it opened, revealing Ayame. She looked a little worn, but other than that, she looked fine. She smiled as she began licking her face, practically knocking her over. _

"_Kyubi, it's good to see you," Ayame said gratefully. _

"_How did it go?" Kyubi asked her. _

_Ayame sighed. "Let's sit down and I'll tell you," she said tiredly. They both went into the kitchen/ living room, and sat dwon at the table. "I am getting married," ayame announced. _

"_WHAT!" Kyubi roared, as he sat back on his haunches. _

"_Kyubi, stop please," Ayame pleaded._

"_How could they do this?" he roared, his eyes blazioing._

"_Kyubi, stop… please," Ayame choked, tears in her eyes. He looked down, horrified that he made this fragile young woman cry. _

"_Ayame, please stop," he pleaded as he sat down next to her._

"_It's just…. I'm human Kyubi," Ayame siad. "I need to have someone I can live with, someone I can grow old with. You and I… we are different Kyubi," she said softly._

"_Ayame…" Kyubi said softly. "I learned a new technique while you were gone," he said prodly._

"_Kyubi, I don't think this is the time," Ayame said softly._

"_I think it is," he said. Kyubi sat back, his eyes closed. He concentrated, fire swirling around his body. His eyes opened as the fire disappeared._

_Ayame gasped. Sitting in front of her was a man, where Kyubi was. His hair was a bright orange, which fell straight down his shoulders. He wore a black yukta that showed his lean muscles. His jacket over his yukta was also black, with red flames on the bottom. _

"_What?" Ayame asked shocked. "Who.. are you?" she asked him._

"_It's me Ayame," the man said, his low voice so familiar it scared her._

"_Kyubi?" she asked, her eyes wide as she approached him. She sat in front of him, her eyes wide. Her hand slowly came up to his face, hesitant, as if she was reaching out to a wild animal. Her fingers traced the curve of his cheek, her palm against his face. _

_His hand shot up, making her jump a little. He placed his large hand over hers, his red eyes intent on her face. Kyubi relaxed at the feel of her hand on his face, her smooth skin against his. He smiled, almost purring as he leaned into her hand. _

"_It's me, Ayame," he said, his voice low and gruff. "What do you think of me now?" he taunted her._

_Ayame blushed a deep red, and went to pull her hand away. He tightened his grip on her wrist, holding her there. He jerked, puling her into his lap, her face against his chest. His arm snaked around her waist, shifting her so she was sitting sideways, her head resting against his chest. It felt so good to have her in his arms, unlike anything he ahd ever felt before._

"_Ayame… stay with me," he purred, his voice low as he leaned down close to her ear. _

"_Kyubi," she gasped as his hands travelled down her side. _

"_Stay here, with me," he murmured, his nose nestling in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent._

"_Yes," she gasped, and that was all he needed…_

_Kyubi awoke, a smile on his face. He sat up, his new human body, and looked next to him. He reccieved a cold shock when he realized Ayame was gone. _

_He spread out his senses, trying to find her. Kyubi found he could not sense her anywhere in teh shrine. She was just… gone….._

_Months later_

_Kyubi sat in his human form against a wall, his head bent in his arms as he leaned them against his knees. He heard someone coming in, nad he looked up, hoping to see Ayame…_

_Instead he saw the AHruno clan leader. The man looked older, his hair starting to turn grey, and his face began to show wrinkles. _

"_what do you want?" he growled at Ayame's father._

"_I came to talk to you," the clan leader said. _

"_I don't want to hear it," Kyubi growled. _

"_I have news of Ayame," the man said. _

_Kyubi looked up. "I'm listening," he said intently._

"_Ayame is dead," he said plainly. _

_Kyubi's heart stopped. He looked up at the human, his face in shock. "No…." he said, almost inaudibly. "NO!" he roared._

_He felt tears streaming down his cheeks. His heart exploded, white hot rage strreakign thorugh his body. He sobbed his heart out, his body almost completely slack. This pain, it was like nothing he had ever felt before…. For the first time in his life, he wanted to die, he wanted to join her…._

"_How?" he croaked out._

"_childbirth," her father stated. "Ayame's body was too weak, and she did not make it."_

"_Child… what?" Kyubi asked, his voice holding a hint of surprise._

"_I came here with my last order to you. With this, I believe your father got what he intended. I do not agree with his methods," the clan leader said as he sat in front of Kyubi. "However, my last commands to you are twofold. One, when the Haruno clan needs protection, you will be duty bound to help us. We will call on you with our kekkei genkai when that time arises."_

"_Secondly, you are free to leave this place. Ayame's child inherited her gifts, and will be brought up as a shaman for the clan," he siad._

"_Her gifts?" Kyubi asked hesitantly._

"_Ayame could see the future," her father said softly. "When she was a child, Ayame foresaw her own death. However, she also looked father into the future, and saw how her descendants would be special, each inheriting her abilities, and protecting this clan as their shamans. She decided, then, to keep her fate, and to accept it. She could have left at any moment, but she also saw her love for you, and could not bring herself to give you up. She loved too much," he explained._

"_She did this all…. For me?" Kyubi asked, dazed._

"_She put up with everything for a chance to meet you," the clan leader said. "Ayame confided this in me years ago. I have known she would die for a long time."_

"_That does not make this any easier," Kyubi said harshly. "Does the pain ever go away?" he aske,d his voice helpless like a child's._

"_It does not," the clan leader replied softly. "It lessesns with time, but it will never completely go away."_

"_Never tell a soul about this," Kyubi instructed him._

"_I will not, however Ayame will be revered as our first shaman," the clan leader stated. "I will have it no other way."_

"_Then I will leave this place," Kyubi said as he transformed back into his fox form._

"_You will not stay as a human?" the clan leader asked._

"_Ayame was the first one to see me in my human form. I created it for her, and so no one else will ever see it," Kyubi said._

"_Very well. Good luck Kyubi," the clan leader wished him._

Hinata felt her eyes watering as he finished. She brought her hands up to her face, trying to rub the tears away.

"Hinata?" came a hesitant voice.

"Naruto?" Hinata asked, her voice breathless. His arms tightened around her slim frame, his head buried in her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Naruto siad, his voice muffled as he leaned into her. "I… I should never have lost control like that. I'm sorry Hinata," he siad.

"Naruto, please look at me," she asked softly.

"Now you know," Naruto said, his voice cracking. Hinata felt his body shake in a silent sob that tore her heart in two. "Now you know why everyone fears me…. Why your dad hates me… Its' just, I lose control sometimes…. But I never imagined that you would see…."

"Naruto," Hinata said firmly. "I love you. Nothing will change that," she said, her stutter gone.

"You deserve better than a freak," Naruto said harshly.

"No," Hinata said as she pushed his shoulders up so he was facing her. Tears were in her eyes, running down her cheeks as she glared openly at him. "I love you Naruto. All of you. That includes your demon! I don't care what anyone says or thinks, because I'm in love with you, Naruto Uzumaki!" she yelled at him, her eyes blazing.

"Hinata," Naruto said softly, his eyes watering "You are amazing, did anyone ever tell you that?"

Hinata blushed deep red at his statement. "T-t-thank you," she stuttered out.

"Kiss me?" Naruto asked, his voic pleading with her.

Without a second thought, Hinata leaned forward, pressing her lips to his in a chaste kiss.

In a flash, Naruto had his hand around the back of her head, twining in her soft indigo hair as he pulled her closer to deepen their kiss. His chest felt like it was exploding from all of the happiness he felt, his head was in the clouds as he kissed the girl in front of him.

He broke away, leaving her panting, her face a deep red as he grinned down at her. "I was always worried you wouldn't accept me," Naruto said. "Because of my demon," he confessed to her.

Hinata smiled shyly up at him. "I don't care about something as insignificant as that," she said softly.

Naruto smiled as he stood, pulling her to her feet as he did. Hinata squeaked when he threw her over his shoulder, laughing as he did. "Naruto, let me down please," she stammered as he walked to his bedroom. Her face flushed, and Hinata felt like she was going to pass out right there on the spot.

Naruto gently placed her down on the bed, a huge grin on his face as he hovered above her. "Hey Hinata, how'd I get lucky enough to land a girl like you?" he asked her.

Hinata just spluttered as she sat up a bit, her face redder than a tomato. "How did I get lucky enough to date the future Hokage?" she asked him, her shy voice barely above a whisper.

Naruto leaned in to kiss her, pushing her back onto the bed. His body lay above her, the hard planes of his muscles against her soft feminine curves. His large body completely dominated hers, his hands running up and down her sides.

"Naruto… I've never…." Hinata stammered as she broke away from him as his hand came dangerously close to her breast.

"I know we haven't done much," Naruto said honestly, his electric blue eyes locked onto her milky ones. "It's just…. I was always so worried I would lose you, Hina. I didn't want to take any of this away from you," he said.

"Naruto…" Hinata stammered. "I want this so much," she whispered as she looked away from him. "I want this…. with you."

Naruto grinned. "That's all I wanted to hear," he said as he leaned down to capture her lips in a searing kiss. "Hey, if it makes you feel better, I've never been with another girl before either," he whispered as his lips ghosted over the pale skin of her neck

"Eh? REALLY?" Hinata asked shocked.

"Really," Naruto said with a smile. "So I'm just as new to this as you are," he said as he gently placed his lips on her neck, making her arch her back and press into him in the most enticing way. Hinata could feel his erection practically jabbing her, but she ignored it…. She just wanted this feeling to last….

"I want you so bad," Naruto groaned as his fingers found the zipper of her jacket. "I want to hold you, and never let you go," he breathed out as he slowly unzipped her jacket, the noise resounding in the room. He gently sucked at a point on her neck, making Hinata moan in pleasure as her hands ran up and down his muscular arms.

"I… I…. I want y..y..you too, N..n…Naruto," she stammered out.

Naruto fumbled a bit, pulling the jacket from her shoulders. Once he got it off, he threw it behind him somewhere, not even giving it a second thought. He looked down to see Hinata in only a black tank top, her generous chest in full view.

He slid his hand under the hem of her tank top, his fingers gently brushing the skin of her taught stomach. His hand splayed along the curve of her hips, as he pulled her hips into his, his mouth never leaving that one spot on her neck that made her moan like crazy.

Naruto's other hand gently skimmed along her top as it ran up to her large breasts. It went around her back, fumbling a bit with the clasp to her bra. With a resounding click, he got it open, his mouth moving down to her collar bone.

His hand went back to her chest, sliding her bra strap and her tank top strap down her shoulder. Hinata gasped as she felt a tight knot coiling in her lower abdomen, making it ache to be touched. In a moment, she felt a cold draft on her chest as Naruto freed it.

His mouth quickly descended on one breast, while his free hand came up to grasp her other breast. His tongue flicked out across her sensitive nipple, making her practically scream as she arched against him. He sucked gently, making her moan even more, almost to the point where she was losing her sanity.

He paused for a second to pull her shirt down lower, giving him a better angle on her chest. His hand grasped her nipple, tweaking it between two fingers. His index finger flicked it, making her arch against him yet again. She felt the coil in her abdomen pull even tighter.

Naruto paused for a moment before pulling her shirt over her head, practically tearing it from her body. Her bra came next, discarded on the floor with the rest of her clothes. He sucked and played with her chest, his pride swelling with each little noise she made.

His heart flew into his chest when he felt her thin, dainty fingers slide ofer the large bulge in his pants. He pauses, and groaned as she felt his shaft through his sweatpants, gently rubbing it up and down with the lightest touch.

He paused, and with a lot more effort than he hoped, Naruto kicked off his pants sending them backwards somewhere. His hands fumbled at her pants before pulling them down, and off her legs in one fell swoop. Her underwear went next, nad Hinata blushed when she found both herself and Naruto completely naked.

Naruto didn't say anything as his hand traced small circles on the skin of her stomach. His hand slowly travelled lower, making Hinata whimper with want. His fingers slowly, tantalizingly traced the outer part of her, making her moan the loudest one yet.

"Naruto… please….." she panted, feeling like her body was about to explode.

As soon as the sound escaped her lips, he jammed one of his fingers inside her, making the coil in her stomach tighten. It filled up her whole body, making her shiver with excitement as hishand began to move. Never before has she felt something as intense as this.

She let out a soft sound of disappointment as he slowly withdrew his finger. However, her disappointment turned to pure passion as he entered again, this time with two fingers.

"What do you want Hinata?" he asked, his voice deep and gruff as he pulled his hand away, and reached over into his nightstand drawer. "Tell me," he hissed into her ear.

"Naruto, I want you…." Hinata gasped as her hands ran up and down his tanned chest.

Naruto pulled back for a minute, and Hinata lay back, breathless. She felt his hand on her hips as he positioned himself inside her long pale legs. His body hovered over hers, his hair brushing her shoulder. "This is going to hurt," he warned her.

"I trust you," Hinata whispered, her eyes staring into his, showing him her absolute trust and faith in him.

Naruto nodded and his hips thrust forward. Hinata let out a cry as she felt pain explode behind her shut eyelids. It hurt so much, she felt like she was breaking inside. How the hell was this going to work?

"Hi..a…ta.." Naruto grunted as he shifted a bit.

"No!" Hinata cried out, tears in her eyes. "Just… let me get use to it, okay?" she asked him

"Of course," Naruto said as he paused, perfectly still. "You're really tight. It feels good," he said as he laid his head on her shoulder.

Hinata smiled as she ran her hand through his blonde hair. "Naruto, please move," she said softly.

Naruto never moved his head from her neck as his hips began to rock back and forth. His mouth latched onto her neck, and he groaned as his body began to move. Hinata felt the pain, so excruciating. How did women go through this?

Naruto shifted, trying to get a better position so as not to hurt her as much. His legs were beginning to slip on the sheets of the bed as he tried to find a better position. His hips began to move again, and Hinata began to try and move hers as well, attempting to find some sort of rhythm.

However, both of them were on different rhythms. While Naruto moved up, Hinata moved down, and more than once he almost slipped out of her. "Hey Hinata," Naruto said softly. "This isn't working," he whispered in her ear, making her shiver.

"Let me handle this," he said as he began to move faster.

Hinata felt the pain beginning to reduce, leaving the same coiling sensation in her abdomen as before. It tightened quickly, leaving her wanting for more.

"Naruto…" she said softly. "Let me…."

Without a word, Naruto pulled out, lifting his arm so Hinata could sit up. He laid back, watching as his girlfriend swung her leg over him. She slowly lowered herself onto him, making him gasp hard. His hands found her hips, and he gripped her like his life depended on it.

Hinata shifted a bit, getting comfortable. This was much better, the pain was almost gone now. She experimentally moved her hips up, making Naruto throw back his head and let out a long growl. She smiled and blushed as she began to move her hips, slowly rocking back and forth.

She stopped, and shifted so her feet were curled underneath her, giving her more leverage. Naruto looked up at her as Hinata began to move, faster this time. His eyes followed her breasts as they bounced back and forth in front of him.

Hinata felt the coil go even tighter, almost to its limit. She thrust even harder, her head thrown back. Naruto's hands shot up, grabbing her breasts as she laid hers on his chest, trying to get some leverage. Her hips moved faster and faster, the coil becoming tighter and tighter….

Hinata felt it snap, and waved of pleasure rushed over her body. She felt her body moving on its own as it began to spasm. Her entire pelvis was moving as fast as it could, her walls tightening around Naruto. He gripped her hips, driving his hips upward to meet hers.

Hinata felt her body relax and stop, as Naruto's thrust into hers one last time, his face contorted in a look of pure pleasure. Slowly, Hinata lifted her leg over him, and laid back, panting. Her legs felt like jelly, her entire body exhausted.

Naruto smiled at her as he carefully took off the condom, tying the top and throwing it in the trash next to his bedside. He laid back his arm around her waist as he pulled her close. Hinata smiled, a feeling of pure bliss taking over her. Her eyes were heavy, and she felt dead tired, however this floating feeling kept her awake.

"So…. How was it?" he asked her as he pulled her close, his head resting against her shoulder.

"It was….. awkward," she answered him, her face turning a deep red.

Naruto threw back his head and laughed, his arm gripping his stomach. "Well, at least we know for next time," he said as he laid back, pulling her so that her arm was around his waist, her head laying on the taught muscles of his chest.

"N…next time?" Hinata squeaked.

"Of course! What, you didn't think this was a onetime deal, sis you?" Naruto asked her with a grin on his face.

"No…" she said softly. "I… I like this…." she said.

"Me too," Naruto said as he closed his eyes. "Go to sleep Hinata."

She smiled as she leaned back against him. He was so warm, making her entire body warm up.

At that moment, in Hinata's world, everything was perfect.

/

Ok, how was that? I actually didn't plan on putting this in, but I figured I needed to sex up this story a bit. I'ver read a lot of stories where the characters have like, and incredible first time, and its all goody and lovey dovey. Unfortunately, real life is not like that. I wanted to keep this realistic, and I hope I did a good job….

Now for the food notes…. There are a lot of them, I know. I kept them in order, so just match up the food with the number. All of them can be found on Wikipedia, just search Japanese cuisine and you'll see where I literally copied and pasted my list.

Yakizakana 焼き魚 : flame-grilled fish, often served with grated daikon. One of the most common dishes served at home. Because of the simple cuisine, fresh fish in season are highly preferable.

Yakiniku ("grilled meat" 焼肉): may refer to several things. Vegetables such as bite-sized onion, carrot, cabbage, mushrooms, and bell pepper are usually grilled together. Grilled ingredients are dipped in a sauce known as tare before being eaten.

Sakurayu: an herbal tea made with pickled cherry blossoms. In my story, I say it's a special blend, I relly have no idea what that kind of blend could be. I thought it would be interesting to say it was some kind of special Iwa blend.

Ebi tempura- Tempura is deep-fried vegetables or seafood in a light, distinctive batter. Ebi just means shrimp in Japanese, but I know any big sushi buffet fan like myself might already know this : ) , but just in case….

Kushikatsu 串カツ: skewered meat, vegetables or seafood, breaded and deep fried.

Gyokuro: Gyokuro leaves are shaded from direct sunlight for approximately 3 weeks before the spring harvest. Removing direct sunlight in this way enhances the proportions of flavenols, amino acids, sugars, and other substances that provide tea aroma and taste. After harvesting the leaves are rolled and dried naturally. Gyokuro is slightly sweeter than sencha and is famous for its crisp, clean taste. Major growing areas include Uji, Kyōto and Shizuoka prefecture.

Oshiruko: a warm, sweet red bean soup with _mochi_: rice cake

Nimono: stewed dishes, 煮物

Motoyaki: Baked seafood topped with a creamy sauce.

Umecha: a tea drink with umeboshi giving refreshing sourness.

_Anko_: Commonly known as (sweetened) red bean paste, while ingredients other than azuki are used on rare occasions.

Kushikatsu 串カツ: skewered meat, vegetables or seafood, breaded and deep fried.

_Mitarashi_: Covered with a syrup made from _shouyu_ (soy sauce), sugar and starch.

_Hanami__dango_: Also has three colors, Hanami dango is traditionally made during Sakura-viewing season. Hence the name Hanami (_Hanami_ means "flower viewing"; _hana_ meaning "flower", and _mi_ meaning "to see").

Korokke (croquette コロッケ): breaded and deep-fried patties, containing either mashed potato or white sauce mixed with minced meat, vegetables or seafood. Popular everyday food.

_Bocchan__dango_: Dango that has three colors. One is colored by red beans, the second by eggs, and the third by green tea.

Gyūdon: _donburi_ topped with seasoned beef-

_donburi_ (どんぶり, 丼, big bowl) full of hot steamed rice with various savory toppings:

Kushiyaki 串焼き: skewers of meat and vegetables.

Now that should be it. If not, send me a review and I'll make sure to include any I missed in my next chapter. It might be a while before I review again because I am swamped with schoolwork. I also plan on starting a new story, inspired by the last pirates of the Caribbean movie. It will be shorter than Haruno Fields, but I plan on making it really good. I hope you all will read it, and review : ) It will be a Naruto/Sakura story, which is not usually a couple I like to work with or even support. However, I really want to take on this challenge, and I know it will be awesome!

Well, it might be a while before I write again, I am swamped with classowrk… ugghhh…

Anyways, read and review! Thank you all!


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